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Out on the Ice #2
Unexpected Goals
On-ice rivals find some surprising heat under all their hostility in this enemies-to-lovers hockey romance
If you can’t play nice, play hockey
Canadian goalie Maisy Goode is wary of American Jen Donato and her dirty playing. She’s been on the receiving end of Jen’s aggressive style and doesn’t like it one bit. Now that they’re on the same women’s pro team, keeping her eyes off Jen is a struggle.
Jen signed up to win it all with the Boston Ice. Her very public clashes with their hot goalie aren’t going to derail her championship plans. Jen’s a professional. But there’s just something about Maisy that gets under her skin.
The media loves the tension, but the more time Maisy and Jen are forced to spend together, the more they discover what’s between them isn’t entirely hostile.
At all.
Banter turns into flirting, and flirting turns into more. The closer they get to the playoffs, the more pressure weighs on the team—and the couple. Maisy needs Jen’s support. Jen needs to know Maisy’s all in. And it all needs to get sorted out before the season—and their relationship—closes out.
If you can’t play nice, play hockey
Canadian goalie Maisy Goode is wary of American Jen Donato and her dirty playing. She’s been on the receiving end of Jen’s aggressive style and doesn’t like it one bit. Now that they’re on the same women’s pro team, keeping her eyes off Jen is a struggle.
Jen signed up to win it all with the Boston Ice. Her very public clashes with their hot goalie aren’t going to derail her championship plans. Jen’s a professional. But there’s just something about Maisy that gets under her skin.
The media loves the tension, but the more time Maisy and Jen are forced to spend together, the more they discover what’s between them isn’t entirely hostile.
At all.
Banter turns into flirting, and flirting turns into more. The closer they get to the playoffs, the more pressure weighs on the team—and the couple. Maisy needs Jen’s support. Jen needs to know Maisy’s all in. And it all needs to get sorted out before the season—and their relationship—closes out.
Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2021
31 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Farmer
8 books95 followersKelly Farmer (she/her) has been writing romance novels since junior high. While the stories have changed, one theme remains the same: everyone deserves to have a happy ending. She is the bestselling author of queer contemporary romances with snarky humor and lots of heart.
When not writing, she enjoys being outside in nature, quoting from eighties movies, listening to all kinds of music, and petting every dog she comes in contact with. All of these show up in her books. Kelly lives in the Chicago area, where she swears every winter is her last one there.
To connect with Kelly, talk about current TV binges, and subscribe to her newsletter for access to free bonus stories, head over to www.kellyfarmerauthor.com.
When not writing, she enjoys being outside in nature, quoting from eighties movies, listening to all kinds of music, and petting every dog she comes in contact with. All of these show up in her books. Kelly lives in the Chicago area, where she swears every winter is her last one there.
To connect with Kelly, talk about current TV binges, and subscribe to her newsletter for access to free bonus stories, head over to www.kellyfarmerauthor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
November 6, 2021
3.75 Stars! This was a cute, enemies-to-lovers, sapphic sports romance. I’m happy to say that I enjoyed this more than I expected and that it was a definite improvement over Farmer’s sapphic debut. After reading some of the earlier reviews I had lowered my expectations some, I don’t know if that actually helped in the end or what but this was quite an enjoyable read for me. It did have some issues -I will go into them more later- which was a shame since had a few things been different I might have even loved this book. But overall it was a good romantic read that I enjoyed.
While I am calling this a sports-romance it is much heavier on the romance than the sports. One of my issues with the first book was that there was not enough hockey and too many possible exciting sports scenes where skipped over instead. As a big sports fan, there still was not enough hockey for me personally, but there was an absolute improvement over the last book. The hockey parts that are there were cute, exciting, or actually helped to push the connection between the mains forward. I think Farmer was able to make sports fans a little happier, yet she still kept the book very romance focused.
This is the second book in the Out on the Ice series. You do spend some time with the couple from the previous book, but this book is about two other characters so while I always recommend reading books in order, I don’t think you have to here. Unlike in the first book, where it took me a while to warm to one of the mains, I liked both main characters in this book almost right away. I’m a big fan of enemies-to-lovers and it was a lot of fun watching these women with their rival chemistry, and seeing it turn into sexual chemistry. They really formed a connection and I believed in them as a possible couple. The intimate scenes were well done, and there were lots of sweet moments, but this does lead me to one of my two main issues: There were no actual sex scenes in this book. Normally, I don’t mind fade to black, but I really felt the absence of sex in this book. This happened in the first book of the series too. Farmer, is good at lighting up the pages with lots of sparks, but then it feels like a letdown that the book never goes there. I don’t often say this but this series really needs sex scenes and it feels weird that there are none. (I could see potential for a book 3, staring an ace/aro character so if that happens my statement is just meant for the first two series books obviously.)
My other big issue ended up being a pacing issue. I really enjoyed the beginning and end of the book, but the middle slowed down too much. I liked what was happening in the middle, but Farmer got caught in this circle and could not seem to step out of it. The same feelings, the same inner and outer dialogue, everything kept repeating over and over but weren’t going anywhere. I kept yelling at the book that “I got it!” I understand what’s going on so you don’t have to explain it more anymore. Let’s move on! Farmer has to trust her readers a bit more and not beat them over the head with the same thing. I think one, but probably two, chapters could have easily been cut out and it would have made the flow of the story so much better. The pace would have been much more consistent, the whole book, without getting stuck in the mud of the middle.
TLDR: An enjoyable enemies-to-lovers, sports-romance. This was an improvement on Farmers’ sapphic debut and a solid second book in this series. The characters are easy to like, are super cute together, and they actually try to communicate. The book had some nice sparks going but I did think it took a hit by not having any sex scenes. The beginning and the end are really good, but Farmer should have tightened up the middle because it became repetitive and dragged a bit. In the end, I still enjoyed this more than I expected and I would absolutely read a book 3.
A copy was given to me for a review.
While I am calling this a sports-romance it is much heavier on the romance than the sports. One of my issues with the first book was that there was not enough hockey and too many possible exciting sports scenes where skipped over instead. As a big sports fan, there still was not enough hockey for me personally, but there was an absolute improvement over the last book. The hockey parts that are there were cute, exciting, or actually helped to push the connection between the mains forward. I think Farmer was able to make sports fans a little happier, yet she still kept the book very romance focused.
This is the second book in the Out on the Ice series. You do spend some time with the couple from the previous book, but this book is about two other characters so while I always recommend reading books in order, I don’t think you have to here. Unlike in the first book, where it took me a while to warm to one of the mains, I liked both main characters in this book almost right away. I’m a big fan of enemies-to-lovers and it was a lot of fun watching these women with their rival chemistry, and seeing it turn into sexual chemistry. They really formed a connection and I believed in them as a possible couple. The intimate scenes were well done, and there were lots of sweet moments, but this does lead me to one of my two main issues: There were no actual sex scenes in this book. Normally, I don’t mind fade to black, but I really felt the absence of sex in this book. This happened in the first book of the series too. Farmer, is good at lighting up the pages with lots of sparks, but then it feels like a letdown that the book never goes there. I don’t often say this but this series really needs sex scenes and it feels weird that there are none. (I could see potential for a book 3, staring an ace/aro character so if that happens my statement is just meant for the first two series books obviously.)
My other big issue ended up being a pacing issue. I really enjoyed the beginning and end of the book, but the middle slowed down too much. I liked what was happening in the middle, but Farmer got caught in this circle and could not seem to step out of it. The same feelings, the same inner and outer dialogue, everything kept repeating over and over but weren’t going anywhere. I kept yelling at the book that “I got it!” I understand what’s going on so you don’t have to explain it more anymore. Let’s move on! Farmer has to trust her readers a bit more and not beat them over the head with the same thing. I think one, but probably two, chapters could have easily been cut out and it would have made the flow of the story so much better. The pace would have been much more consistent, the whole book, without getting stuck in the mud of the middle.
TLDR: An enjoyable enemies-to-lovers, sports-romance. This was an improvement on Farmers’ sapphic debut and a solid second book in this series. The characters are easy to like, are super cute together, and they actually try to communicate. The book had some nice sparks going but I did think it took a hit by not having any sex scenes. The beginning and the end are really good, but Farmer should have tightened up the middle because it became repetitive and dragged a bit. In the end, I still enjoyed this more than I expected and I would absolutely read a book 3.
A copy was given to me for a review.
October 27, 2021
Remember Amy from Out on the Ice? Jen is the opposite in many ways. Where Amy was bubbly and talkative, Jen sounds as far from warm and fuzzy as can be. At least that’s how it feels to Maisy. The two players have history on the ice and when Jen joins Maisy’s team, they both have a hard time leaving that history in the past.
When I reviewed Kelly Farmer’s debut novel last year, I wrote that I was surprised to find myself caring for the characters a lot more by the end of the story than when I began reading it. My experience with this new book is a bit different, in that I really liked both Maisy and Jen from the start. By the middle of the book, however, I felt it was dragging a little, then the exact same thing happened again and I got carried away until the last pages. The story ends on a really strong note, so much so that I’m not sure I needed the epilogue. Not that it’s superfluous, but the last chapter is so engaging already that I would have been happy even if the story had stopped there.
Beyond the enemies to lovers romance, Unexpected Goals is all about Maisy’s journey to herself, finding her way and deciding how to identify, what works for her and what doesn’t. There’s a lot of character growth for both MCs, as Jen goes from slightly immature to wonderfully supportive, while still being very plausibly flawed. There’s angst and conflict and – that one made me very happy – communication. Maisy and Jen argue and make mistakes without letting them overcome their feelings for one another.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
When I reviewed Kelly Farmer’s debut novel last year, I wrote that I was surprised to find myself caring for the characters a lot more by the end of the story than when I began reading it. My experience with this new book is a bit different, in that I really liked both Maisy and Jen from the start. By the middle of the book, however, I felt it was dragging a little, then the exact same thing happened again and I got carried away until the last pages. The story ends on a really strong note, so much so that I’m not sure I needed the epilogue. Not that it’s superfluous, but the last chapter is so engaging already that I would have been happy even if the story had stopped there.
Beyond the enemies to lovers romance, Unexpected Goals is all about Maisy’s journey to herself, finding her way and deciding how to identify, what works for her and what doesn’t. There’s a lot of character growth for both MCs, as Jen goes from slightly immature to wonderfully supportive, while still being very plausibly flawed. There’s angst and conflict and – that one made me very happy – communication. Maisy and Jen argue and make mistakes without letting them overcome their feelings for one another.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 5, 2021
This was a sweet enemies to lovers sapphic ice hockey romance. Maisy and Jen have had a heated rivalry since an altercation during a US/Canada game during the Olympics. Now that they’re both playing for the Boston Ice they’re going to have to work past their previous issues and learn to be teammates. As they start to get to know one another sparks begin to fly between them.
I don’t normally think of enemies to lovers stories as being low angst, but this one definitely was. Most of the conflicts that come up are understandable and don’t feel like they appeared out of nowhere. Previously Maisy had assumed she was straight and is having to figure out her sexuality and how to tell people about her new relationship. Jen also has some trepidation about wanting to make sure this isn’t like previous times where a woman has used her only to experiment.
The book is written in 3rd person switching between both Maisy and Jen’s POV. At times it got super confusing because their voices were so similar. When they were both in a scene together sometimes I really struggled to tell whose POV the story was being told from in that moment. The sex scenes in this book happen off page, which can be fine. But I think the kissing scenes didn’t do enough to establish their physical connection, they just felt a bit lackluster. Also, while I did find the conflicts to be believable, I do think they got extremely repetitive. It was just the same conversations being had over and over again.
I enjoyed reading this even though it wasn’t the perfect book for me. Sapphic sports romances are becoming a new favorite category for me.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t normally think of enemies to lovers stories as being low angst, but this one definitely was. Most of the conflicts that come up are understandable and don’t feel like they appeared out of nowhere. Previously Maisy had assumed she was straight and is having to figure out her sexuality and how to tell people about her new relationship. Jen also has some trepidation about wanting to make sure this isn’t like previous times where a woman has used her only to experiment.
The book is written in 3rd person switching between both Maisy and Jen’s POV. At times it got super confusing because their voices were so similar. When they were both in a scene together sometimes I really struggled to tell whose POV the story was being told from in that moment. The sex scenes in this book happen off page, which can be fine. But I think the kissing scenes didn’t do enough to establish their physical connection, they just felt a bit lackluster. Also, while I did find the conflicts to be believable, I do think they got extremely repetitive. It was just the same conversations being had over and over again.
I enjoyed reading this even though it wasn’t the perfect book for me. Sapphic sports romances are becoming a new favorite category for me.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2025
3 Stars for unexpected Goals: Out on the Ice, Book 2 (audiobook) by Kelly Farmer read by Chelsea Stephens.
The ice is liable to melt when these two rival hockey players end up on the same team. Jen never liked Maisy’s dirty play when they were on different teams but now she can keep her eyes off of her.
The ice is liable to melt when these two rival hockey players end up on the same team. Jen never liked Maisy’s dirty play when they were on different teams but now she can keep her eyes off of her.
October 8, 2021
This book is the second installment in Kelly Farmer’s Out on the Ice series. I'd say you need Out on the Ice before reading this one. Farmer’s debut wasn't extremely memorable for me so I was a bit lost for the first third or I of the book when the focus is a lot on the entire crew and not the leads in this book.
Maisy is the goalie we've met in Out in the Ice, or at least I think I remember her. Jen is a new character, I think we've seen her in the other book, but as a rival, but I'm not 100% sure. As I said Framer’s debut was pretty ok, but not memorable. This is a classic enemies to friends to lovers story and it's pretty enjoyable when we are talking about their relationship. Maisy has very limited experience in low, doesn't even know who she fancies, but she's into Jen. Jen is pretty outspoken and I’d say an opposite of Maisy.
The book is pretty low on angst, but it does deal with a lot of topics. Maisy’s coming out, another character finding where she is on the spectrum, friendships and careers. Of course there is some angst around the before mentioned topics, but Farmer really knows how to write that well. I appreciate that the characters do communicate, even if it isn't in their nature. The slow build-up of their relationship is very believable and again, well-written.
I think Farmer is a pretty good writer, but I don't really connect with her characters. For me this is a problem, I always need to feel a connection to at least one of the characters to make me enjoy the story more. Maybe it's because the book is so ice hockey centered, while I like reading about it and catching the occasional recap on tv it's just not a sport I'm too familiar with and have a real interest in. I'd pick up another book in this series for sure, by the time that comes out I will probably have forgotten about this one, but that's ok.
Solid 3 stars.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
Maisy is the goalie we've met in Out in the Ice, or at least I think I remember her. Jen is a new character, I think we've seen her in the other book, but as a rival, but I'm not 100% sure. As I said Framer’s debut was pretty ok, but not memorable. This is a classic enemies to friends to lovers story and it's pretty enjoyable when we are talking about their relationship. Maisy has very limited experience in low, doesn't even know who she fancies, but she's into Jen. Jen is pretty outspoken and I’d say an opposite of Maisy.
The book is pretty low on angst, but it does deal with a lot of topics. Maisy’s coming out, another character finding where she is on the spectrum, friendships and careers. Of course there is some angst around the before mentioned topics, but Farmer really knows how to write that well. I appreciate that the characters do communicate, even if it isn't in their nature. The slow build-up of their relationship is very believable and again, well-written.
I think Farmer is a pretty good writer, but I don't really connect with her characters. For me this is a problem, I always need to feel a connection to at least one of the characters to make me enjoy the story more. Maybe it's because the book is so ice hockey centered, while I like reading about it and catching the occasional recap on tv it's just not a sport I'm too familiar with and have a real interest in. I'd pick up another book in this series for sure, by the time that comes out I will probably have forgotten about this one, but that's ok.
Solid 3 stars.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
November 8, 2021
My love for this book — just like the title — is unexpected! Not having read Out on the Ice, I didn’t know what to expect, but wow, Kelly Farmer has impressed me! Farmer’s writing is smooth and thorough, and her characters — main and side alike — are fleshed-out and lovable. I love the large cast of characters, including the Boston Ice team members, their friends and families, and three adorable doggos who left an impression on me despite their limited screen time. I also love the conversations surrounding community and how many queer identities are represented.
American Jen Donato has just signed with the Boston Ice hockey team, but she and her Olympics nemesis, Canadian goalie Maisy Goode, are less than thrilled to be on the same team. At first I thought Jen would be an ice queen, but it’s revealed pretty early on that she’s nowhere close to one (though she definitely is a queen on the ice). While Jen is often quiet and not overly emotive, she’s such a quirky, laid-back, thoughtful person, and I just adored her! While Maisy has been on the Boston Ice for a while, she sometimes feels left out of the tight team bonds. Maisy is the anal-retentive spreadsheet lover to Jen’s laid-back artistic vibe, and while she’s sensitive and (mostly) sweet, in the beginning I didn’t like her as much as Jen because I thought she was mainly the one who wouldn’t let the Olympic events go. Throughout the story, though, I came to understand that they both played a part in the extreme rivalry, and that it made sense for Maisy to act out in the ways that she did.
I just love this pairing — we’ve got enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, opposites-attract, and toaster oven! Jen is an out-and-proud lesbian and I love how patient she is with Maisy, who’s just figuring out that she likes women and is unsure how to label herself. While they’re opposites in several ways, they do have a common interest they can discuss for hours, which is just too cute! Nothing about their attraction to each other felt contrived in any way. Farmer is a master at including swoon-worthy small details that, for me, elevate the romance from good to great. They’re so cute when they just happen to notice things about each other — hair, eyes, skin, scent — and when, bit by bit, their icy opinions of each other start to thaw. In particular, I loved the little details surrounding Maisy’s realization that she likes women. I just — ahhh!!!! It’s so freaking gay and so freaking relatable! The conflict didn’t feel rushed or contrived at all, and I loved the abundance of communication.
This book doesn’t contain any sex scenes (Maisy and Jen definitely have sex, but those scenes are fade-to-black), and it looks like many reviewers think that by not seeing those sex scenes, we missed important moments of romantic connection. I can see where they’re coming from, as I think that for this particular book, a sex scene or two would have definitely added something to the story. However, I found the MCs’ connection incredibly strong as it was, and since I’m ace-spec and am not too affected by sex scenes anyway, I have no complaints about the scenes that were and weren’t included.
In short, I loved this and can’t wait to read more from Kelly Farmer (starting with Out on the Ice)!
content warnings: alcohol (recreational), mentions of medical stuff/hospitalization, mentions of sex
I received an ARC from Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
American Jen Donato has just signed with the Boston Ice hockey team, but she and her Olympics nemesis, Canadian goalie Maisy Goode, are less than thrilled to be on the same team. At first I thought Jen would be an ice queen, but it’s revealed pretty early on that she’s nowhere close to one (though she definitely is a queen on the ice). While Jen is often quiet and not overly emotive, she’s such a quirky, laid-back, thoughtful person, and I just adored her! While Maisy has been on the Boston Ice for a while, she sometimes feels left out of the tight team bonds. Maisy is the anal-retentive spreadsheet lover to Jen’s laid-back artistic vibe, and while she’s sensitive and (mostly) sweet, in the beginning I didn’t like her as much as Jen because I thought she was mainly the one who wouldn’t let the Olympic events go. Throughout the story, though, I came to understand that they both played a part in the extreme rivalry, and that it made sense for Maisy to act out in the ways that she did.
I just love this pairing — we’ve got enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, opposites-attract, and toaster oven! Jen is an out-and-proud lesbian and I love how patient she is with Maisy, who’s just figuring out that she likes women and is unsure how to label herself. While they’re opposites in several ways, they do have a common interest they can discuss for hours, which is just too cute! Nothing about their attraction to each other felt contrived in any way. Farmer is a master at including swoon-worthy small details that, for me, elevate the romance from good to great. They’re so cute when they just happen to notice things about each other — hair, eyes, skin, scent — and when, bit by bit, their icy opinions of each other start to thaw. In particular, I loved the little details surrounding Maisy’s realization that she likes women. I just — ahhh!!!! It’s so freaking gay and so freaking relatable! The conflict didn’t feel rushed or contrived at all, and I loved the abundance of communication.
This book doesn’t contain any sex scenes (Maisy and Jen definitely have sex, but those scenes are fade-to-black), and it looks like many reviewers think that by not seeing those sex scenes, we missed important moments of romantic connection. I can see where they’re coming from, as I think that for this particular book, a sex scene or two would have definitely added something to the story. However, I found the MCs’ connection incredibly strong as it was, and since I’m ace-spec and am not too affected by sex scenes anyway, I have no complaints about the scenes that were and weren’t included.
In short, I loved this and can’t wait to read more from Kelly Farmer (starting with Out on the Ice)!
content warnings: alcohol (recreational), mentions of medical stuff/hospitalization, mentions of sex
I received an ARC from Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2021
Unexpected Goals is certainly art following life if you are a diehard fan of the rivalry between the USA and Canadian women’s hockey teams. Over the history of the rivalry I have witnessed numerous cross border marriages and relationships come to fruition. So to be able to read a fictionalized version intrigued me.
This is the second book in Kelly Farmer’s Out On The Ice series. Having not read the first book I had no issues reading this as a stand alone novel.
When not playing with team Canada at the international level, Maisy Goode is the star goalie for the Boston women’s professional hockey team. Jen Donato is the new transfer onto her team. She is the Olympic hero for Team USA scoring the clutch goal against Maisy in the gold metal game. A disputed goalie interference goal which Maisy has not been able to get over.
This enemies to lovers story is set up perfectly by this scenario yet it takes a long, long time to get to the lovers portion of the story. There is an extremely slow angst build up which needs to be condensed to hold the reader’s interest.
Farmer wrote the team dynamics and the cross section of player personalities quite well. As well, the hockey games were exciting to read.
This turned into a satisfying read by the end.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
This is the second book in Kelly Farmer’s Out On The Ice series. Having not read the first book I had no issues reading this as a stand alone novel.
When not playing with team Canada at the international level, Maisy Goode is the star goalie for the Boston women’s professional hockey team. Jen Donato is the new transfer onto her team. She is the Olympic hero for Team USA scoring the clutch goal against Maisy in the gold metal game. A disputed goalie interference goal which Maisy has not been able to get over.
This enemies to lovers story is set up perfectly by this scenario yet it takes a long, long time to get to the lovers portion of the story. There is an extremely slow angst build up which needs to be condensed to hold the reader’s interest.
Farmer wrote the team dynamics and the cross section of player personalities quite well. As well, the hockey games were exciting to read.
This turned into a satisfying read by the end.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
October 1, 2021
This is a very sweet romance between two ice hockey rivals who end up playing on the same team. Although they hate each other initially, they end up starting to bond in the team environment and eventually it turns into romance. Maisy always thought she was straight, but her attraction to Jen causes a lot of confusion for her in regard to her sexuality. Although I totally understood this from her character’s perspective, I found it slightly grating how long she obsessed with how she fit with the LGBTQIA spectrum. For me, it took away from the main storyline - the romance between her and Jen.
This novel had all of the characters intimacy occur off the page. To be honest, I believe this was a missed opportunity, as I think their relationship would’ve felt a little more believable if we had been shown their supposed chemistry rather than told.
All in all, a sweet sports romance that features very little angst.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin - Carina Press for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This novel had all of the characters intimacy occur off the page. To be honest, I believe this was a missed opportunity, as I think their relationship would’ve felt a little more believable if we had been shown their supposed chemistry rather than told.
All in all, a sweet sports romance that features very little angst.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin - Carina Press for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2024
I'm not even a hockey fan, but give me all the hockey romances! IRL ones too (and there are many!). Okay, so this is only the second one that's really stood out to me out of the five(?) I've now read, but still.
I read the first book in this series late last year and wanted to pick up book 2 right away. It's only taken me 8 months to get back to this series. Book 1 was fine. I liked it for the most part, but nothing has come close to my OG hockey romance, MJ Duncan's Unadulterated Something, which I've probably read at least four times at this point. I've been chasing that experience ever since and have finally found it in Kelly Farmer's Unexpected Goals.
Maisy Goode is the starting goalie for Boston's NAWHL team and is also a star for the Canadian National Team. She's analytical, methodical, vocal about goalie safety. She's well liked and respected by her peers, even if she is a bit serious at times. Jen Donato is new to Boston's team this year. She's chasing the one trophy she's never won, the NAWHL's coveted Karina Cup, and is hoping Boston will give her that chance. Jen is a US National Team star. She's also well liked by her peers, well pretty much all of them in Boston not named Maisy Goode, who hasn't forgotten how Jen's gold-medal-winning goal happened on a play that Maisy, who was at goal at the time, not only considers a dirty/unsportsmanlike play but also dangerous and unsafe. Being teammates isn't what either wants and their feud has the potential to derail Boston's championship goals unless they figure their sh!t out, of course.
This is a rivals- and enemies-to-lovers romance that just worked for me. Look, I'm not going to sit here and pretend that Unexpected Goals or Unadulterated Something are the most amazing sports romances you'll read--they're not. But if I want a shot of dopamine, I'm going to consider reading either of these books. And they reminded me a lot of each other in the very best ways.
Now on to book 3...
I read the first book in this series late last year and wanted to pick up book 2 right away. It's only taken me 8 months to get back to this series. Book 1 was fine. I liked it for the most part, but nothing has come close to my OG hockey romance, MJ Duncan's Unadulterated Something, which I've probably read at least four times at this point. I've been chasing that experience ever since and have finally found it in Kelly Farmer's Unexpected Goals.
Maisy Goode is the starting goalie for Boston's NAWHL team and is also a star for the Canadian National Team. She's analytical, methodical, vocal about goalie safety. She's well liked and respected by her peers, even if she is a bit serious at times. Jen Donato is new to Boston's team this year. She's chasing the one trophy she's never won, the NAWHL's coveted Karina Cup, and is hoping Boston will give her that chance. Jen is a US National Team star. She's also well liked by her peers, well pretty much all of them in Boston not named Maisy Goode, who hasn't forgotten how Jen's gold-medal-winning goal happened on a play that Maisy, who was at goal at the time, not only considers a dirty/unsportsmanlike play but also dangerous and unsafe. Being teammates isn't what either wants and their feud has the potential to derail Boston's championship goals unless they figure their sh!t out, of course.
This is a rivals- and enemies-to-lovers romance that just worked for me. Look, I'm not going to sit here and pretend that Unexpected Goals or Unadulterated Something are the most amazing sports romances you'll read--they're not. But if I want a shot of dopamine, I'm going to consider reading either of these books. And they reminded me a lot of each other in the very best ways.
Now on to book 3...
October 27, 2021
Unexpected Goals is the second book in the Out on the Ice series from author Kelly Farmer. I'm kind of a sucker for sports and when you combine that with lesbians, I'm all in.
Canadian goalie Maisy Goode is the star goalie for the women's professional hockey team, the Boston Ice. She is shocked when her arch rival American Jen Donato signs with the team. Maisy was the goalie in the Olympics when Jen scored the winning goal for the U.S. Jen had been pushed into Maisy and nothing was called. Maisy has always thought Jen a dirty player and can't believe they are now on the same team.
The two have words on more than one occasion. Jen's flippant attitude gets under Maisy's skin and Jen can't understand why Maisy can't let the past go. Ultimately, they both have the same goal to bring the championship to Boston and agree that will be better accomplished if they work together and put the past behind them.
What starts as an uneasy friendliness turns to friendship when they both realize they have misjudged each other. They watch their favorite nature show together and the friendship turns into attraction for both of them. But Maisy's straight or so she thought!
I like both Jen and Maisy. Jen is super chill. She has a habit of falling for straight girls who just want to experiment. Her feelings for Maisy feel different but she's worried that it will end up just like all of the rest. She's a very likeable character whose intensity on the ice is the complete opposite of how she is off of it. Her big Italian family drives her crazy but she adores them. She is patient and kind and is there to help Maisy deal with her concerns and unease.
I do like Maisy but she also got on my nerves a little. I understand her desire to name her sexuality and her fear over her families reaction to her not being as straight as she had always assumed she was. But thinking more about how the character is so Type A and has a spreadsheet for everything, her overthinking makes sense.
I read the first book in the series, Out on the Ice and it was good to catch up with some of the characters. I didn't like this book as much as I enjoyed Out on the Ice. Maybe because when I started that book, I thought Amy would annoy me, and then I realized I am Amy! However, this is a solid read and I am really looking forward to what Kelly Farmer writes next.
ARC received from NetGalley for an honest review
https://sapphicbookreview.com/review/...
Canadian goalie Maisy Goode is the star goalie for the women's professional hockey team, the Boston Ice. She is shocked when her arch rival American Jen Donato signs with the team. Maisy was the goalie in the Olympics when Jen scored the winning goal for the U.S. Jen had been pushed into Maisy and nothing was called. Maisy has always thought Jen a dirty player and can't believe they are now on the same team.
The two have words on more than one occasion. Jen's flippant attitude gets under Maisy's skin and Jen can't understand why Maisy can't let the past go. Ultimately, they both have the same goal to bring the championship to Boston and agree that will be better accomplished if they work together and put the past behind them.
What starts as an uneasy friendliness turns to friendship when they both realize they have misjudged each other. They watch their favorite nature show together and the friendship turns into attraction for both of them. But Maisy's straight or so she thought!
I like both Jen and Maisy. Jen is super chill. She has a habit of falling for straight girls who just want to experiment. Her feelings for Maisy feel different but she's worried that it will end up just like all of the rest. She's a very likeable character whose intensity on the ice is the complete opposite of how she is off of it. Her big Italian family drives her crazy but she adores them. She is patient and kind and is there to help Maisy deal with her concerns and unease.
I do like Maisy but she also got on my nerves a little. I understand her desire to name her sexuality and her fear over her families reaction to her not being as straight as she had always assumed she was. But thinking more about how the character is so Type A and has a spreadsheet for everything, her overthinking makes sense.
I read the first book in the series, Out on the Ice and it was good to catch up with some of the characters. I didn't like this book as much as I enjoyed Out on the Ice. Maybe because when I started that book, I thought Amy would annoy me, and then I realized I am Amy! However, this is a solid read and I am really looking forward to what Kelly Farmer writes next.
ARC received from NetGalley for an honest review
https://sapphicbookreview.com/review/...
October 4, 2021
This was a decent, OK novel. It had everything in it to be great, but at times it was too extensive and over-explaining, and sticking with the G rated level didn't help the characters' chemistry: instead of describing it with their mutual scenes, it was sort of told and explained to the readers. Shame about it, because the plot was great.
December 26, 2021
I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
This was a cute and sapphic hockey romance that was perfect for this time of the year. I love that it's apparently so common IRL for Canadian and US female hockey players to get into relationships with each other, I really don't follow hockey and that's the only fact I know (and care to know).
I was pleasantly surprised to see in an adult romance an identity journey that was in some ways similar to my own. While Jen is an out and proud lesbian, Maisy has always thought she was straight. Her coming to terms with her attraction to Jen is quite easy relatively to her crisis about exactly what her identity is. I think I'm more used to seeing a similar coming out journey in YA books, so it was nice to see it happen to an older character in a more mature type of relationship. Maisy thinking about different labels and none of them feeling quite right, while also none of them feeling wrong, was something I think a lot of us have gone through, and I really liked how at the end she settled on the word queer because that's what she kept coming back to and what felt right. I can actually relate to that a lot.
While I rather enjoyed the book for what it ended up being, my expectation about an enemies to lovers romance weren't really met. The two characters start out as rivals, but the actual romance has none of the tension that makes that trope so juicy. Don't get me wrong, there is still some conflict, but it's about external factors like Maisy's family still seeing Jen as her rival. Overall it just made me feel not any different than I do while reading a cute friends to lovers, which is perfectly fine, just not what I expect from how the book was marketed.
There is also the fact that for all the talk about sex that happens on page, none of it is shown, not even a fade-to-black situation. Everything happens completely off page and I'm sure a lot of readers will enjoy that but I personally prefer steamier romances when it comes to sapphic stuff. The writing itself was also not my favorite, though it really lent itself well to the dorky-cute type of romance that was portrayed here.
All these elements made this the type of sapphic romance I usually don't like because I need something more, and yet I still lean towards mostly positive feelings because while it wasn't what I expected, I still liked most parts of it. Basically my recommendation is to not expect too much of the enemies to lovers trope, but if you're in need of a cute romance without steamy scenes this should be right up your alley.
This was a cute and sapphic hockey romance that was perfect for this time of the year. I love that it's apparently so common IRL for Canadian and US female hockey players to get into relationships with each other, I really don't follow hockey and that's the only fact I know (and care to know).
I was pleasantly surprised to see in an adult romance an identity journey that was in some ways similar to my own. While Jen is an out and proud lesbian, Maisy has always thought she was straight. Her coming to terms with her attraction to Jen is quite easy relatively to her crisis about exactly what her identity is. I think I'm more used to seeing a similar coming out journey in YA books, so it was nice to see it happen to an older character in a more mature type of relationship. Maisy thinking about different labels and none of them feeling quite right, while also none of them feeling wrong, was something I think a lot of us have gone through, and I really liked how at the end she settled on the word queer because that's what she kept coming back to and what felt right. I can actually relate to that a lot.
While I rather enjoyed the book for what it ended up being, my expectation about an enemies to lovers romance weren't really met. The two characters start out as rivals, but the actual romance has none of the tension that makes that trope so juicy. Don't get me wrong, there is still some conflict, but it's about external factors like Maisy's family still seeing Jen as her rival. Overall it just made me feel not any different than I do while reading a cute friends to lovers, which is perfectly fine, just not what I expect from how the book was marketed.
There is also the fact that for all the talk about sex that happens on page, none of it is shown, not even a fade-to-black situation. Everything happens completely off page and I'm sure a lot of readers will enjoy that but I personally prefer steamier romances when it comes to sapphic stuff. The writing itself was also not my favorite, though it really lent itself well to the dorky-cute type of romance that was portrayed here.
All these elements made this the type of sapphic romance I usually don't like because I need something more, and yet I still lean towards mostly positive feelings because while it wasn't what I expected, I still liked most parts of it. Basically my recommendation is to not expect too much of the enemies to lovers trope, but if you're in need of a cute romance without steamy scenes this should be right up your alley.
March 6, 2026
The romance itself in this was just okay, but I really enjoyed the exploration of labels and identity in this and how the need for a label can be paralyzing. Interesting stuff!
March 8, 2022
I enjoyed this but a little too internalized to be 5 stars. I skipped to the end after 60%, liked what I read and then read the rest. Found the 'almost' ending very moving.
December 9, 2024
Overall a pretty cute time. The build up between these two was really great I think the problem was the conflict after they got together. Struggling to come out and figuring out your identity is totally valid but I think I’m at the point where I’ve read it a lot and it feels stale. Unless you’ve got a new take or impeccable prose, it’s just gonna feel kinda lack luster. I’ll happily pick up the third book in this series the next time I’m craving a hockey romance. Currently this is the only sapphic hockey romance series that I’m aware of, hopefully post Nat and Darcy we can get a sapphic hockey romance boom.
October 14, 2021
I don’t even know where to start with this book. I was not prepared for how great this was going to be. I read the first in the series immediately before starting Unexpected Goals and I’m glad I did as there are some cute moments with Caro, Amy and Gina.
Unexpected Goals starts out with two enemies on the ice still fighting over an event several years in the past. Maisy and Jen are opposites in every way and have seemed to clash at every turn in the past while on opposing teams. When Jen transfers to the Boston Ice they have to find a way to work together or risk their team’s chances for winning. They find they have much more in common than they thought including an unexplainable attraction to each other.
What sounds like a fairly common enemies to lovers romance also throws in very relatable feelings and events surrounding coming out, first loves and relationships with differing levels of comfort in being part of the LBGTQ community. Maisy finds a new side of herself that she struggles to understand and label and finds it hard to talk with her family even though she’s sure they will support her. Her feelings are something that I have shared and her struggle with that really hit home for me. Add to that Gina and her issues, Caro’s family and depression in Out on the Ice and this series touches on many of the various issues affecting the community in a warming story that I loved. Kelly Farmer has quickly become one of the few authors I will hit the order now button on, no matter the book.
Unexpected Goals starts out with two enemies on the ice still fighting over an event several years in the past. Maisy and Jen are opposites in every way and have seemed to clash at every turn in the past while on opposing teams. When Jen transfers to the Boston Ice they have to find a way to work together or risk their team’s chances for winning. They find they have much more in common than they thought including an unexplainable attraction to each other.
What sounds like a fairly common enemies to lovers romance also throws in very relatable feelings and events surrounding coming out, first loves and relationships with differing levels of comfort in being part of the LBGTQ community. Maisy finds a new side of herself that she struggles to understand and label and finds it hard to talk with her family even though she’s sure they will support her. Her feelings are something that I have shared and her struggle with that really hit home for me. Add to that Gina and her issues, Caro’s family and depression in Out on the Ice and this series touches on many of the various issues affecting the community in a warming story that I loved. Kelly Farmer has quickly become one of the few authors I will hit the order now button on, no matter the book.
May 4, 2025
1.5
I don’t know, it was kinda incredibly boring.
I really hate “oh my god I can’t believe I’m gay what label am I” storylines.
That is all this book is about. Nothing else happens. I cannot stress how this book is over 300 pages and nothing happens. It’s actually remarkable how immature it all is when everyone is supposedly an adult. They establish that one character is vegetarian, cocky, and artsy and the other is vegan, insecure, and likes spreadsheets. These same traits get brought up over and over again. Maisy pissed me off endlessly and Jen was way too patient, 300 pages too patient.
And honestly, so was I.
I don’t know, it was kinda incredibly boring.
I really hate “oh my god I can’t believe I’m gay what label am I” storylines.
That is all this book is about. Nothing else happens. I cannot stress how this book is over 300 pages and nothing happens. It’s actually remarkable how immature it all is when everyone is supposedly an adult. They establish that one character is vegetarian, cocky, and artsy and the other is vegan, insecure, and likes spreadsheets. These same traits get brought up over and over again. Maisy pissed me off endlessly and Jen was way too patient, 300 pages too patient.
And honestly, so was I.
November 7, 2021
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
3.5 ⭐️
Kelly Farmer’s Unexpected Goals is a sweet romance between two former competitors with an antagonistic history forced to spend time working & hanging up their gear together as teammates.
Goalie Maisy Goode hasn’t liked fellow pro hockey player Jen Donato since the time she thinks Jen played dirty during a game. Jen hasn’t liked Maisy since Maisy complained about Jen’s supposed bad playing. Ever since the incident in question the media & public take great interest in any of their meetings on the ice & now that they’re teammates things get even more interesting.
The sense of competition in this read is strong & exciting & I love encountering imperfect leads who are trying to figure things out.
In this case, Maisy is experiencing unexpected attraction for Jen which makes her re-examine her past & present to see if she has felt that way for a woman before & how she might label her own sexuality not only for herself but for others.
Both leads really learn a lot about themselves, how they communicate, & what’s important to each other, & I found the efforts they make for each other to be touching.
I would have enjoyed some more passion in their relationship outside of their hockey competition: there’s little on page steam & tension but no third act breakup (which isn’t a necessity for me by any means but the book’s overall effect falls a little flat for me).
Once Maisy and Jen work through their initial conflict Unexpected Goals is largely a gentle read with what feels like quite a lot of introspection.
3.5 ⭐️
Kelly Farmer’s Unexpected Goals is a sweet romance between two former competitors with an antagonistic history forced to spend time working & hanging up their gear together as teammates.
Goalie Maisy Goode hasn’t liked fellow pro hockey player Jen Donato since the time she thinks Jen played dirty during a game. Jen hasn’t liked Maisy since Maisy complained about Jen’s supposed bad playing. Ever since the incident in question the media & public take great interest in any of their meetings on the ice & now that they’re teammates things get even more interesting.
The sense of competition in this read is strong & exciting & I love encountering imperfect leads who are trying to figure things out.
In this case, Maisy is experiencing unexpected attraction for Jen which makes her re-examine her past & present to see if she has felt that way for a woman before & how she might label her own sexuality not only for herself but for others.
Both leads really learn a lot about themselves, how they communicate, & what’s important to each other, & I found the efforts they make for each other to be touching.
I would have enjoyed some more passion in their relationship outside of their hockey competition: there’s little on page steam & tension but no third act breakup (which isn’t a necessity for me by any means but the book’s overall effect falls a little flat for me).
Once Maisy and Jen work through their initial conflict Unexpected Goals is largely a gentle read with what feels like quite a lot of introspection.
September 16, 2022
Unexpected Goals
Kelly Farmer tells a sweet story with amazing chemistry. I enjoyed this series so far and look forward to the next book.
Kelly Farmer tells a sweet story with amazing chemistry. I enjoyed this series so far and look forward to the next book.
Read
February 1, 2025was genuinely difficult for me to get past the goofy ass cover
October 14, 2021
Completely amazing.
Kelly Farmer’s Unexpected Goals is her second novel with Carina Press, following her oh-so-excellent debut, Out on the Ice. It’s also with the Boston Ice women’s hockey team, and features goalie Maisy Goode and Jen Donato. They’ve faced off on the ice before and it is not overstating to describe their relationship as contentious. So Jen’s signing with the Ice forces them to learn to play nice together…
Kelly Farmer’s writing is so beautifully layered and her characters and their thoughts and behaviors are so real and complex. Maisy and Jen don’t instantly find common ground nor does their friendship grow without quite a few bumps along the way.
Ms Farmer’s portrayals of her characters’ is lovely and nuanced, and we get to see Jen and Maisy together on and off the ice. It’s also a pleasure to catch up with some of the team introduced previously but Unexpected Goals also stands well alone.
A terrific read, and a keeper.
Kelly Farmer’s Unexpected Goals is her second novel with Carina Press, following her oh-so-excellent debut, Out on the Ice. It’s also with the Boston Ice women’s hockey team, and features goalie Maisy Goode and Jen Donato. They’ve faced off on the ice before and it is not overstating to describe their relationship as contentious. So Jen’s signing with the Ice forces them to learn to play nice together…
Kelly Farmer’s writing is so beautifully layered and her characters and their thoughts and behaviors are so real and complex. Maisy and Jen don’t instantly find common ground nor does their friendship grow without quite a few bumps along the way.
Ms Farmer’s portrayals of her characters’ is lovely and nuanced, and we get to see Jen and Maisy together on and off the ice. It’s also a pleasure to catch up with some of the team introduced previously but Unexpected Goals also stands well alone.
A terrific read, and a keeper.
February 13, 2026
A sweet book where both protagonists are relatively emotionally mature and own their own personal growth. They learn from each other how to be better (kinder, braver) humans. A lot of this is very idealised but that's OK.
I loved having a vegan protagonist and a vegetarian one who was vegan friendly. I wasn't so keen on the covert fatphobia but maybe that goes with professional athlete cultures?
At times the writing was kind of splintered, some passages were hard to follow but overall because both characters were likeable and I frankly needed an escapist read I enjoyed my way through this. I don't know whether I will read more from this author but I am not ruling it out.
If you want a romance this is a decent, undemanding one.
I loved having a vegan protagonist and a vegetarian one who was vegan friendly. I wasn't so keen on the covert fatphobia but maybe that goes with professional athlete cultures?
At times the writing was kind of splintered, some passages were hard to follow but overall because both characters were likeable and I frankly needed an escapist read I enjoyed my way through this. I don't know whether I will read more from this author but I am not ruling it out.
If you want a romance this is a decent, undemanding one.
October 14, 2024
Enemies to lovers ily
February 21, 2025
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆
Oh my gosh, this book was so good. The enemies to friends to lovers pipeline, along with hockey and queer women? YUP I’m sold completely.
The progression of Maisy and Jen’s relationship was so great, from all the tension and frustration they harboured for each other into realizing they were actually perfect for each other - yes yes. I really appreciated how working on communication and fixing old defence mechanisms was a huge factor in this book. There was no mid book breakup for a stupid reason, (thankfully) just communication. Coming out was a big part too, and I think it was written so beautifully and truthfully.
After reading the first book, the second one was even better. I really enjoyed getting to see more of the characters from the first book, and I love me some hockey. The little Canadian references and jokes had me giggling as a Canadian myself. Overall such a good book.
ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆
Oh my gosh, this book was so good. The enemies to friends to lovers pipeline, along with hockey and queer women? YUP I’m sold completely.
The progression of Maisy and Jen’s relationship was so great, from all the tension and frustration they harboured for each other into realizing they were actually perfect for each other - yes yes. I really appreciated how working on communication and fixing old defence mechanisms was a huge factor in this book. There was no mid book breakup for a stupid reason, (thankfully) just communication. Coming out was a big part too, and I think it was written so beautifully and truthfully.
After reading the first book, the second one was even better. I really enjoyed getting to see more of the characters from the first book, and I love me some hockey. The little Canadian references and jokes had me giggling as a Canadian myself. Overall such a good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2021
it took me time to finish this book, I found the chemistry missing I dont know, they seems fake in away. Maisy was just looking for a community i think. the writing was fine and found it great at times.
September 24, 2021
Maisy is a Canadian ice hockey goalie and Jen an American forward. Their rivalry is well known but the main story is about an Olympic game where an incident lead to a goal by Jen and America winning the gold medal. Maisy thinks Jen is reckless and a dirty player and Jen thinks Maisy is a whiner that should move on. They end up not only playing for the same team but seating next to each other in the locker room. What follows is a sweet romance where they put their past behind them and work through Maisy’s sexual identity awakening and their public relationship.
Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2021
I read Farmer's debut Out on the Ice and enjoyed her take on the queer women in hockey. This was just as good as the first if not better for the familiarity of it all. It was like a warm hug in a book.
The story centers on Canadian Maisy Goode and American Jen Donato, both part of the fictional pro women's hockey team the Boston Ice. When they are on the same team, they have to put scandal from their past to rest to work together as teammates. AS they begin to know each other, they realize there might be something beyond friendship there. Since this is a romance, you can draw your own conclusion on that.
This was a low angst story, which I appreciated. I kept expecting a big bomb to drop somewhere in the story, like fuss over these characters being in a relationship together or about Maisy, who hadn't expressed her queer feelings before falling for Jen. It's the formula to have the big angst, and while the characters here have things to work out to have a strong relationship, I'm pleasantly surprised that Farmer didn't go in that direction.
For those of you wondering about the heat level, there is a funny moment when questioning Maisy starts Googling specifics of what lesbian sex is actually like. Other than that, the characters kiss, but there aren't really any graphic descriptions of sex on the page.
Fans of Gina, who had a significant part of Out on the Ice, will be happy to know she's got a big role in this book. Also, the author has an exclusive Gina story for her newsletter subscribers, so you might want to check that out.
Lastly, there are hardly any men in this book. I've read plenty of FF fiction, but it hadn't registered with other books and only really sunk in with this one toward the end. I think that was because most of the focus was on the leads and their team.
In conclusion, definitely a good read if you love Hockey, ladies who love other ladies (no matter what label they use), and a low-angst enemies to lovers story. Yes, Kelly Farmer proves that you can write the enemies to lovers trope with low-angst.
ARC provided by NetGalley and Carina Press.
The story centers on Canadian Maisy Goode and American Jen Donato, both part of the fictional pro women's hockey team the Boston Ice. When they are on the same team, they have to put scandal from their past to rest to work together as teammates. AS they begin to know each other, they realize there might be something beyond friendship there. Since this is a romance, you can draw your own conclusion on that.
This was a low angst story, which I appreciated. I kept expecting a big bomb to drop somewhere in the story, like fuss over these characters being in a relationship together or about Maisy, who hadn't expressed her queer feelings before falling for Jen. It's the formula to have the big angst, and while the characters here have things to work out to have a strong relationship, I'm pleasantly surprised that Farmer didn't go in that direction.
For those of you wondering about the heat level, there is a funny moment when questioning Maisy starts Googling specifics of what lesbian sex is actually like. Other than that, the characters kiss, but there aren't really any graphic descriptions of sex on the page.
Fans of Gina, who had a significant part of Out on the Ice, will be happy to know she's got a big role in this book. Also, the author has an exclusive Gina story for her newsletter subscribers, so you might want to check that out.
Lastly, there are hardly any men in this book. I've read plenty of FF fiction, but it hadn't registered with other books and only really sunk in with this one toward the end. I think that was because most of the focus was on the leads and their team.
In conclusion, definitely a good read if you love Hockey, ladies who love other ladies (no matter what label they use), and a low-angst enemies to lovers story. Yes, Kelly Farmer proves that you can write the enemies to lovers trope with low-angst.
ARC provided by NetGalley and Carina Press.
October 15, 2021
For any sports romance lovers out there this is a nice and quick read about 2 hockey players who go from rivals to lovers. Maisy and Jen are well written characters who quite literally are opposite with Jen being a forward and Maisy being a goalie. And there is the base for the enemies part: after a collision earlier in their career there was definitely no love lost between them.
Kelly Farmer managed to put in a lot of serious topics in this book without it becoming overly heavy in the angst department which is rather well done. Yet it was not an extremely memorable book, more like a nice romantic interlude without needing to think too much. As I am writing this review I feel like most of the plot has already faded so it was enjoyable but not great. Still for those of you who like a bit of sports in their romance, this was one of the books I enjoyed most in that category.
***Thank you Netgalley for supplying an ARC so I could review this book.***
Kelly Farmer managed to put in a lot of serious topics in this book without it becoming overly heavy in the angst department which is rather well done. Yet it was not an extremely memorable book, more like a nice romantic interlude without needing to think too much. As I am writing this review I feel like most of the plot has already faded so it was enjoyable but not great. Still for those of you who like a bit of sports in their romance, this was one of the books I enjoyed most in that category.
***Thank you Netgalley for supplying an ARC so I could review this book.***
November 2, 2021
It isn’t that often that I come across an enemies to lovers romance in which the protagonists genuinely dislike each other for legitimate but bridgeable reasons and neither is a terrible person. Kelly Farmer’s Unexpected Goals was a very enjoyable read with two protagonists who genuinely and quite famously dislike each other at the beginning and end with a lovely happily ever after.
Maisy Goode and Jenny Donato have had a public beef after an incident in a game between Team Canada and Team USA at the Olympics several years prior to the beginning of the book. Maisie, a goalie for Canada felt like Jenny, on the offensive line for the USA, played dirty and put her at risk of serious injury. Jenny says she was pushed and thinks that Maisy has been whining about it for too long. Now they are on the same Women’s Hockey League – the Boston Ice. Not only that, their lockers are next to each other. Farmer has placed Maisy and Jenny in an interesting place. Their dislike is personal, but based in their professional actions. They don’t really know each other. Which gives them room to grow into loving each other.
I enjoyed Jen and Maisy disliking each other as much as I enjoyed their transition to being in love. They tried in their own ways to bridge the gap and become good teammates, but their communication is so fraught. I genuinely wondered how Farmer was going to pull it off, but she did. The small discoveries they have about each other and themselves were lovely.
I read the first book in this series, Out on the Ice, and am pleased to see that Farmer is clearly more comfortable as an author.
I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley and Carina Press. My opinions are my own.
Maisy Goode and Jenny Donato have had a public beef after an incident in a game between Team Canada and Team USA at the Olympics several years prior to the beginning of the book. Maisie, a goalie for Canada felt like Jenny, on the offensive line for the USA, played dirty and put her at risk of serious injury. Jenny says she was pushed and thinks that Maisy has been whining about it for too long. Now they are on the same Women’s Hockey League – the Boston Ice. Not only that, their lockers are next to each other. Farmer has placed Maisy and Jenny in an interesting place. Their dislike is personal, but based in their professional actions. They don’t really know each other. Which gives them room to grow into loving each other.
I enjoyed Jen and Maisy disliking each other as much as I enjoyed their transition to being in love. They tried in their own ways to bridge the gap and become good teammates, but their communication is so fraught. I genuinely wondered how Farmer was going to pull it off, but she did. The small discoveries they have about each other and themselves were lovely.
I read the first book in this series, Out on the Ice, and am pleased to see that Farmer is clearly more comfortable as an author.
I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley and Carina Press. My opinions are my own.
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