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Central State #2
The Puck Drop
Michael Reiner has the new start he’s been craving, where no one knows about his past and he can finally figure out what he wants out of life. Because one thing’s for certain—he can’t play hockey anymore, and life without hockey seems daunting. But when he gets the chance to intern under the Central State Hockey coach, he couldn’t be happier. Until he finds out the mysterious hottie he met at the bar is the Coach’s daughter.
Naomi Fletcher-Simpson has always been the weird twin. She prefers spreadsheets and trivia nights while her popular sister is everyone’s favorite. Things have been tense in her family, so when she gets a chance to pair up with the hockey team for a huge stats project, she takes it. She can repair her relationship with her dad and hopefully score her dream internship in the process.
Neither Michael nor Naomi expected to like each other. Complete opposites in every way, they slowly form a deep friendship that makes their chemistry sizzle, and friends with benefits is the only option to deal with their growing attraction. Michael can’t afford to lose the internship, and Naomi can’t afford to lose her heart to a hockey guy.
For the guy who’s suffered enough loss, and the girl who’s always left behind, they can’t risk falling in love—not when they both know all things come to an end, right?
Naomi Fletcher-Simpson has always been the weird twin. She prefers spreadsheets and trivia nights while her popular sister is everyone’s favorite. Things have been tense in her family, so when she gets a chance to pair up with the hockey team for a huge stats project, she takes it. She can repair her relationship with her dad and hopefully score her dream internship in the process.
Neither Michael nor Naomi expected to like each other. Complete opposites in every way, they slowly form a deep friendship that makes their chemistry sizzle, and friends with benefits is the only option to deal with their growing attraction. Michael can’t afford to lose the internship, and Naomi can’t afford to lose her heart to a hockey guy.
For the guy who’s suffered enough loss, and the girl who’s always left behind, they can’t risk falling in love—not when they both know all things come to an end, right?
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2021
661 people are currently reading
9175 people want to read
About the author
Jaqueline Snowe
37 books1,239 followersJaqueline Snowe lives in Arizona where the "dry heat" really isn't that bad. She prefers drinking coffee all hours of the day and snacking on anything that has peanut butter or chocolate. She is the mother to two dogs who don’t realize they aren’t humans and a = mom to the sweetest boy. She is an avid reader and writer of romances and tends to write about athletes. Her husband works for an MLB team (not a player, lol) so she knows more about baseball than any human ever should.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
May 29, 2022
You know what I am trash for? Sports romances and slightly broken characters. Well, this book had both those things, and I had a great time seeing these two get their HEA.
Since his parents’ deaths, Michael kept people at arm’s length. He preferred to say detached rather than suffer once he lost them. Naomi was dealing with abandonment issues. Her mother left, and her sister and father emotionally abandoned her. Thus, it was difficult for her to form attachments. Yet, Naomi and Michael saw something in each other that signaled them to let down their defenses and trust their hearts to each other.
I made it sound all easy there, but it wasn’t. However, it was wonderful to watch their relationship slowly take root and flourish. There were some steps, forwards and backwards, while they worked through their issues, but it just made the payoff more meaningful. The repairing and building of those side relationships was great too. I appreciated how the characters had to dig deep and the growth they experienced.
Overall: A fun romance which was an emotional journey for both characters.
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Since his parents’ deaths, Michael kept people at arm’s length. He preferred to say detached rather than suffer once he lost them. Naomi was dealing with abandonment issues. Her mother left, and her sister and father emotionally abandoned her. Thus, it was difficult for her to form attachments. Yet, Naomi and Michael saw something in each other that signaled them to let down their defenses and trust their hearts to each other.
I made it sound all easy there, but it wasn’t. However, it was wonderful to watch their relationship slowly take root and flourish. There were some steps, forwards and backwards, while they worked through their issues, but it just made the payoff more meaningful. The repairing and building of those side relationships was great too. I appreciated how the characters had to dig deep and the growth they experienced.
Overall: A fun romance which was an emotional journey for both characters.
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June 7, 2022
The Puck Drop was a great hockey romance. It’s a friends to lovers/ friends with benefits.
Michael was a lovely hero who despite dealing with a loss he’s still strong and trying to move on. Focusing on what he enjoys most. Hockey. I liked the friendship he had with his sister and her boyfriend.
Naomi is the less cooler twin when it comes to her sister Cami who’s the opposite. I actually enjoyed Naomi and her nerdy side. Her girlfriends were terrific.
The friendship between Naomi and Michael was great. They slowly grow closer and there’s an attraction.
So it was all just great and it’s because I felt there wasn’t anything new to the story or the characters. Been there done that I’m afraid.
Michael was a lovely hero who despite dealing with a loss he’s still strong and trying to move on. Focusing on what he enjoys most. Hockey. I liked the friendship he had with his sister and her boyfriend.
Naomi is the less cooler twin when it comes to her sister Cami who’s the opposite. I actually enjoyed Naomi and her nerdy side. Her girlfriends were terrific.
The friendship between Naomi and Michael was great. They slowly grow closer and there’s an attraction.
So it was all just great and it’s because I felt there wasn’t anything new to the story or the characters. Been there done that I’m afraid.
September 3, 2021
why would you want 'coach's daughter trope when you can have 'boss' daughter'?
Michael got a job as the hockey coach intern and he has to work closely with the coach's daughter Naomi.
they start as friends but slowly they start to fall in love.
i love friends to love trope is just so sweet to see how the friendship progress and also love the angst of 'but i don't want to ruin or friendship'.
Michael got a job as the hockey coach intern and he has to work closely with the coach's daughter Naomi.
they start as friends but slowly they start to fall in love.
i love friends to love trope is just so sweet to see how the friendship progress and also love the angst of 'but i don't want to ruin or friendship'.
September 16, 2021
4 Stars 🌟
The Puck Drop is a fun, flirty, emotion packed new adult sports romance. It can be read as a complete standalone though we first meet the main male character Michael in the author's book The Holdout which is part of the Moo U series and I highly recommend that book as it's what got me interested in this author's books to begin with.
This was Michael & Naomi's story. It had a slight forbidden element as it was a romance between the Coach's daughter and an ex college hockey player trying to figure out his next step. This was such a fun dynamic to explore as it didn't feel like the typical story that might follow this trope. I love how this was done as it gave us more of an insight on what goes on behind the sport rather than just the game play. The story had a few heart tugging moments but equally had a light, airy and easy to read feel to it.
I adores Michael which I have since he was first introduced in The Holdout and was so incredibly excited that he got his own story. He is strong, kind, level headed, charismatic and very swoon worthy.
Naomi did take me a little longer to warm up to. She was a great character with a lot of heart but I just wanted her to stand up for herself a little more and speak her mind/tackle issue head in instead of internalizing them. I understood her and appreciated her character growth but just wanted a little more from her.
Overall I did really enjoy this story and the couple's chemistry and connection and would reccomend the book to any and all lovers of new adult sport romances.
《book aesthetic made by me. I do not own the pictures, all found via pinterest》
The Puck Drop is a fun, flirty, emotion packed new adult sports romance. It can be read as a complete standalone though we first meet the main male character Michael in the author's book The Holdout which is part of the Moo U series and I highly recommend that book as it's what got me interested in this author's books to begin with.
This was Michael & Naomi's story. It had a slight forbidden element as it was a romance between the Coach's daughter and an ex college hockey player trying to figure out his next step. This was such a fun dynamic to explore as it didn't feel like the typical story that might follow this trope. I love how this was done as it gave us more of an insight on what goes on behind the sport rather than just the game play. The story had a few heart tugging moments but equally had a light, airy and easy to read feel to it.
I adores Michael which I have since he was first introduced in The Holdout and was so incredibly excited that he got his own story. He is strong, kind, level headed, charismatic and very swoon worthy.
Naomi did take me a little longer to warm up to. She was a great character with a lot of heart but I just wanted her to stand up for herself a little more and speak her mind/tackle issue head in instead of internalizing them. I understood her and appreciated her character growth but just wanted a little more from her.
Overall I did really enjoy this story and the couple's chemistry and connection and would reccomend the book to any and all lovers of new adult sport romances.
《book aesthetic made by me. I do not own the pictures, all found via pinterest》
November 11, 2024
A charming sports romance that blends humor, heart, and just the right amount of drama. The story follows Naomi, an ambitious college student with a strained relationship with her family, and Michael, a former hockey player working as an intern under her father. Their chemistry is electric, filled with plenty of banter and a slow-burn romance that keeps you invested. It’s cute, a little spicy, and captures a romance with themes of self-discovery and friendship perfectly 👌.
Around 4.5-4.75 ⭐️’s
Around 4.5-4.75 ⭐️’s
September 14, 2021
I just finished this book a couple of days ago and I am already looking forward to more! This author is pretty new to me, but I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read thus far. She has excellent writing skills and doesn’t make me twitchy LOL Ya’ll know how it is with an author you don’t know know and are still kinda dipping your toes instead of full on swimming when it comes to their work; a lot of twitching can happen! Okay, that’s probably more just a me thing but I digress.
I enjoyed the build-up of the relationship and appreciated that even tho this is kind of a shortish book, the author did an excellent job of fleshing out their connection to make me believe these two had a solid friendship that led to a HEA. Not sure if that makes complete sense but a lot of times, with books that are only a couple hundred pages +/- long, I find that not enough time is spent building the foundation between the leads that will secure a real HEA. You have to make me believe it in order for me to enjoy your story and she made me believe it! Props for that. Also, I especially appreciated that the author did not take the lead’s circumstances / baggage and turn the story down a deep gutting angsty read. Instead, she wove it into their budding friendship organically and realistically.
I honestly found no fault with this story. DO with that what you will :)
I enjoyed the build-up of the relationship and appreciated that even tho this is kind of a shortish book, the author did an excellent job of fleshing out their connection to make me believe these two had a solid friendship that led to a HEA. Not sure if that makes complete sense but a lot of times, with books that are only a couple hundred pages +/- long, I find that not enough time is spent building the foundation between the leads that will secure a real HEA. You have to make me believe it in order for me to enjoy your story and she made me believe it! Props for that. Also, I especially appreciated that the author did not take the lead’s circumstances / baggage and turn the story down a deep gutting angsty read. Instead, she wove it into their budding friendship organically and realistically.
I honestly found no fault with this story. DO with that what you will :)
January 26, 2022
I liked this! I was impressed for the most part with the handling of the messy relationships between the heroine and her family; there was clear acknowledgment of the fact that repairing them would take work and of the ways in which they were fucked up which is more than I get from most books. The reason I am giving this three and not four stars is largely due to the end conflict. The heroine is waiting for the hero, who blows her off for her father which he KNOWS is a trigger for her, and rather than actually just telling her what is going on, he is evasive and says they'll talk about it later. Then, when she is justifiably hurt, his defense is that she should have trusted him and he didn't lie to her, which... you kind of did bro, but more than that, the expectation that she should just forgive YEARS of hurt because of you, was a no from me. He's mad she didn't trust him, well, you behaved like a mini version of her father. Bottom line, I just didn't like how that final conflict was handled at all. But I would definitely try this author again, so that's something.
February 13, 2022
I'm really loving the Central State series by Jaqueline Snowe. It's giving me a lot of the same feelings that the first few books in Elle Kennedy's Off Campus series did back in the day. Michael and Naomi start off as coworkers and friends, and their friendship only grows into something more. Their chemistry together was hot but I loved all the sweet, tender moments between them when they emotionally open up to each other. They both have a lot of baggage and learn to move on from that baggage together. And ugh, Michael!! HE IS SUCH A DREAMBOAT!!
January 15, 2023
So dumb and cringe hahaha
March 27, 2022
Best friends to lovers + mutual pining + nerdy characters = the most magnificent kryptonite
I need to binge read EVERYTHING the author writes, ahhhhhhhh!!!
Content warning: death of parents (mentioned), toxic relationship with father, explicit sexual scenes
I need to binge read EVERYTHING the author writes, ahhhhhhhh!!!
Content warning: death of parents (mentioned), toxic relationship with father, explicit sexual scenes
October 17, 2022
three stars! ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ mmm i’m pretty conflicted on the rating for this tbh, may end up changing it to two stars after i think about it. i think i skimmed the last 15% bc i just wasn’t interested anymore but didn’t want to dnf, but it also isn’t like i hated it or anything. it was just a pretty average read, ig? i didn’t really care for any of the characters all too much, and the writing wasn’t really my favorite. naomi’s character annoyed the hell out of me for the majority of the book. the plot was pretty predictable, the spice was lowkey kinda cringy, and i felt like everything wrapped up together a little too well, if you know what i mean. sure, there were some cute moments, and michael’s character wasn’t the worst, but overall i just don’t think this was for me. i’ve heard good things about some of the other books in the series, so i definitely think i’ll give those a shot, but right now i don’t necessarily have high expectations lol
May 14, 2023
bad book. basic plot. horrible writing. unlikeable male main character. the female main character forgave everyone too easily and god fuckibg knows why she had to be the one to apologise at the end and beg for him back when she did nothing wrong and why the mmc acts like he’s the king of the world. shit book. this book literally made me wanna stop reading and study. also, the fmc imo is weak asf and had little to no character development. L book
July 8, 2023
I really liked the relationship here, ending aside, but wow the family stuff in this was garbage. It's simply not believable that Cami didn't know what she was doing, and it's even less believable that their relationship was fixed in one magic conversation, to the point where all of Naomi's "development" at the end was Cami telling her to do stuff. Gross! Also felt the stuff with her father was too easily fixed. That wasn't as bad, but I'm not prone to be very forgiving given the Cami stuff. And the mother doesn't even figure in this story, even though she also seems like not a great parent!
Oh, and there was a line in here about how hockey is a team sport, unlike baseball. Which shows that this author has no real understanding of baseball. Yes, sure, a pitcher has an off night and you're in a five run hole early, but I've also seen goalies have off nights and that's not that different in my view. At any rate, a pitcher could, in part, be having an off night because the defense behind him plays like crap (hello, there's a reason FIP is a thing), and also the greatest player in the world can't get his team into the playoffs. (Am I talking about Trout or Ohtani? It doesn't matter, they're on the same team and they're still out of a damn playoff spot. Tungston Arm O'Doyle became a meme for a reason...) Anyway, this author apparently has a baseball series so that's concerning.
Oh, and there was a line in here about how hockey is a team sport, unlike baseball. Which shows that this author has no real understanding of baseball. Yes, sure, a pitcher has an off night and you're in a five run hole early, but I've also seen goalies have off nights and that's not that different in my view. At any rate, a pitcher could, in part, be having an off night because the defense behind him plays like crap (hello, there's a reason FIP is a thing), and also the greatest player in the world can't get his team into the playoffs. (Am I talking about Trout or Ohtani? It doesn't matter, they're on the same team and they're still out of a damn playoff spot. Tungston Arm O'Doyle became a meme for a reason...) Anyway, this author apparently has a baseball series so that's concerning.
January 27, 2022
I had never heard of the writer Jaqueline Snowe when I discovered her book ‘The puck drop’ in a free sale. I was immediately intrigued by the blurb (I love reading hockey romance stories) so I decided to read it and I’m happy that I did because I enjoyed this story immensely.
‘The puck drop’ is a new adult story that revolves around the main characters Michael Reiner and Naomi Fletcher-Simpson. The story is told in both POV’s. Both Michael and Naomi are very likeable characters. Michael is a great guy and even though he suffered a great loss four years ago (the death of his parents) and had to give up on his lifelong dream of becoming a professional hockey player, that didn’t make him bitter of angry. He doesn’t misbehave to others because of his emotional pain. (= I really liked that!) Yes, the emotional pain is there and he has moments where he feels sad but he tries very hard to move on with this life. This, by starting anew in a new city, a new university and by searching for a new purpose in life.
Naomi is a good girl but just like Michael she feels very lonely at times (even though she has wonderful friends). As children she and her twin sister Cami were close but growing up, they lost that connection and Naomi misses it. She also wants a real father-daughter relationship with her father but unfortunately he’s more interested in his job as a hockey coach than in spending time with her. Naomi hopes doing an internship with her father will bring them closer, but it doesn’t work. But she grows closer to Michael, who is her father’s other intern, and they become friends and more. Naomi and Michael couldn’t be different, she’s a nerdy introvert who loves numbers and he’s a sporty extrovert. Michael has a natural charisma and people listen to him and trust him. He’s a born coach, something that reminds Naomi too much of her father and the hurt that it caused. Both will have to overcome their fears to find love and happiness in their future.
It was lovely to see Michael and Naomi overcome their fears and follow their hearts. I really liked the connection between both of them. One of the things that Michael learned from his loss was to talk more, be more open and honest about his feelings and opinions. He did that with Naomi and I liked how because of that Naomi also learned to do the same with her twin sister Cami and father. Michael supported Naomi in several ways. That’s one of the things that I loved about him. The story was fun and drama free (expect a few emotional conversations). Although Michael isn’t a hockey player anymore, the story had (for me at least) still enough hockey in it. The secondary characters were also interesting, Naomi’s friends and her twin sister Cami (she’s the complete opposite of Naomi, she’s a dancer, loud and extroverted), there is also Michael’s sister and his roommate.
I’m looking forward to next book in this series that is about Naomi’s sister Cami.
(P.S. If you liked this story than maybe you will like the ‘For you’ series by J. Nathan or the ‘Smart jocks’ series by Rebecca Jenshak too. I personally think they have the same vibe.)
‘The puck drop’ is a new adult story that revolves around the main characters Michael Reiner and Naomi Fletcher-Simpson. The story is told in both POV’s. Both Michael and Naomi are very likeable characters. Michael is a great guy and even though he suffered a great loss four years ago (the death of his parents) and had to give up on his lifelong dream of becoming a professional hockey player, that didn’t make him bitter of angry. He doesn’t misbehave to others because of his emotional pain. (= I really liked that!) Yes, the emotional pain is there and he has moments where he feels sad but he tries very hard to move on with this life. This, by starting anew in a new city, a new university and by searching for a new purpose in life.
Naomi is a good girl but just like Michael she feels very lonely at times (even though she has wonderful friends). As children she and her twin sister Cami were close but growing up, they lost that connection and Naomi misses it. She also wants a real father-daughter relationship with her father but unfortunately he’s more interested in his job as a hockey coach than in spending time with her. Naomi hopes doing an internship with her father will bring them closer, but it doesn’t work. But she grows closer to Michael, who is her father’s other intern, and they become friends and more. Naomi and Michael couldn’t be different, she’s a nerdy introvert who loves numbers and he’s a sporty extrovert. Michael has a natural charisma and people listen to him and trust him. He’s a born coach, something that reminds Naomi too much of her father and the hurt that it caused. Both will have to overcome their fears to find love and happiness in their future.
It was lovely to see Michael and Naomi overcome their fears and follow their hearts. I really liked the connection between both of them. One of the things that Michael learned from his loss was to talk more, be more open and honest about his feelings and opinions. He did that with Naomi and I liked how because of that Naomi also learned to do the same with her twin sister Cami and father. Michael supported Naomi in several ways. That’s one of the things that I loved about him. The story was fun and drama free (expect a few emotional conversations). Although Michael isn’t a hockey player anymore, the story had (for me at least) still enough hockey in it. The secondary characters were also interesting, Naomi’s friends and her twin sister Cami (she’s the complete opposite of Naomi, she’s a dancer, loud and extroverted), there is also Michael’s sister and his roommate.
I’m looking forward to next book in this series that is about Naomi’s sister Cami.
(P.S. If you liked this story than maybe you will like the ‘For you’ series by J. Nathan or the ‘Smart jocks’ series by Rebecca Jenshak too. I personally think they have the same vibe.)
February 19, 2023
Okay pause - this was actually good?? Don’t let the embarrassing covers fool you - I was pleasantly surprised with how the characters and the plot were acceptably fleshed out; and the dialogue was strong, their chemistry electric. Sweet golden retriever Michael Reiner, crown him Communication King. I was GIDDY, kicking my feet with their flirty banter. But I really loved how Michael & Naomi learned so much from each other and truly became their best selves together.
3.5⭐️ rounding up bc why the heck not, even tho there were some minor spelling errors, I didn’t even care. Big shout out to Meg for the rec - a true high in my sports romance era
3.5⭐️ rounding up bc why the heck not, even tho there were some minor spelling errors, I didn’t even care. Big shout out to Meg for the rec - a true high in my sports romance era
February 22, 2022
4 ⭐
eng/esp review
***
ugh this was amazing!!! just the kind of cute, flirty, steamy, and quick romance that i desperately needed🤌
everything was great, i just wish this was longer tho :/
***
ugh estuvo buenísimo!!! justo el tipo de tomo cute, divertido, steamy, y rápido que necesitaba🤌
todo estuvo muy bien, solo desearía que fuera más largo :/
eng/esp review
***
ugh this was amazing!!! just the kind of cute, flirty, steamy, and quick romance that i desperately needed🤌
everything was great, i just wish this was longer tho :/
***
ugh estuvo buenísimo!!! justo el tipo de tomo cute, divertido, steamy, y rápido que necesitaba🤌
todo estuvo muy bien, solo desearía que fuera más largo :/
June 5, 2023
3.75 ⭐️
February 22, 2023
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ 3.75 stars ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
“I met his gaze, and his entire face softened. “I’m on your team.””
this was so nice. I liked it a lot. It felt refreshing to read about hockey without the same old clichés, but still having that college popular guy/ignored girl cliché feeling to it. It was a fast book to read and it had enough depth for me to care about the people here.
It’s a bit of a slow burn as they start as friends and it was honestly funny how they decide to try fwb when they are already in love. I liked how there wasn’t TOO many sex scenes, it felt nice to not read smut the whole book. It still has those scenes, but just the right amount of them💗💗
“She said she was going to prove to me that she deserved my heart? Well, game on, Fletcher. I would prove to us that we were meant for each other.”
I am excited for Cal’s book honestly and I liked the conflict here cause it seemed like something that would really spook a girl like Naomi, it made sense. This was overall a very enjoyable read.
“It’s easy to focus on the negative, and it’s human to feel shitty, but it’s a choice to let it dominate your life.”
“I met his gaze, and his entire face softened. “I’m on your team.””
this was so nice. I liked it a lot. It felt refreshing to read about hockey without the same old clichés, but still having that college popular guy/ignored girl cliché feeling to it. It was a fast book to read and it had enough depth for me to care about the people here.
It’s a bit of a slow burn as they start as friends and it was honestly funny how they decide to try fwb when they are already in love. I liked how there wasn’t TOO many sex scenes, it felt nice to not read smut the whole book. It still has those scenes, but just the right amount of them💗💗
“She said she was going to prove to me that she deserved my heart? Well, game on, Fletcher. I would prove to us that we were meant for each other.”
I am excited for Cal’s book honestly and I liked the conflict here cause it seemed like something that would really spook a girl like Naomi, it made sense. This was overall a very enjoyable read.
“It’s easy to focus on the negative, and it’s human to feel shitty, but it’s a choice to let it dominate your life.”
╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮
• Central State Series •
The Puck Drop #1 — 3.75 stars
From the Top #2 — tbr
Take the Lead #3 — tbr
Off the Ice #4 — tbr
╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯
December 12, 2022
The Puck Drop is the first book in the Central State series written by Jacqueline Snowe. As per the synopsis, it follows Michael Reiner, who gets an internship under the Central State coach, and meets a girl who turns out to be the coach's daughter, being Naomi Fletcher-Simpson, who also has a twin sister.
Once again, the cover pulled me into this book, and I was overall very disappointed with how this whole book had gone. There was also a friends with benefits relationship that came past the 50% mark of the book. What also baffled me was how the whole breakup thing was very last minute. Granted, I've read romance where the breakup did happen at the last minute, but I didn't mind it. However, for Puck Drop, it was just baffling.
I think the only thing that I did enjoy with this book was the whole talking that Michael and Naomi had on their sisters and that's mainly it, everything else I was just not that interested it. Even the betrayal thing too was just....meh.
On a personal note, this is the third hockey romance that I've read, which is also the first in a series, and I just can't get into it like the other ones. I thought about it for some time and maybe it was the hockey sport itself, but the more I thought about it, the more that I realized that it pretty much is that for me to even continue on with a series or want to check out the other books, it's the characters and the relationships that I need to find to be at least enjoyable or memorable for me to work.
And I think that's been my issue with previous hockey romance books that I read, and its that there's not a lot in terms of me being attached to the characters, and even not being a fan of how things go storyline wise.
That being said, I have no plans to continue on with this series, seeing how I was disappointed with how the whole book had ended up going. Plus, it took me a long time to read.
Once again, the cover pulled me into this book, and I was overall very disappointed with how this whole book had gone. There was also a friends with benefits relationship that came past the 50% mark of the book. What also baffled me was how the whole breakup thing was very last minute. Granted, I've read romance where the breakup did happen at the last minute, but I didn't mind it. However, for Puck Drop, it was just baffling.
I think the only thing that I did enjoy with this book was the whole talking that Michael and Naomi had on their sisters and that's mainly it, everything else I was just not that interested it. Even the betrayal thing too was just....meh.
On a personal note, this is the third hockey romance that I've read, which is also the first in a series, and I just can't get into it like the other ones. I thought about it for some time and maybe it was the hockey sport itself, but the more I thought about it, the more that I realized that it pretty much is that for me to even continue on with a series or want to check out the other books, it's the characters and the relationships that I need to find to be at least enjoyable or memorable for me to work.
And I think that's been my issue with previous hockey romance books that I read, and its that there's not a lot in terms of me being attached to the characters, and even not being a fan of how things go storyline wise.
That being said, I have no plans to continue on with this series, seeing how I was disappointed with how the whole book had ended up going. Plus, it took me a long time to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2023
Oh my god. Naomi should just drop every single person in her life and move away.
May 26, 2023
So incredibly boring and too many typos to count.
May 29, 2023
Got to about 40% but just couldn’t get into the characters
September 14, 2021
Jacqueline Snowe pens wonderful sports romances as she delves into the dynamics of the game with her conflicted and endearing characters.
Michael Reiner loves hockey and his internship with Coach Simpson is a dream come true. His days of playing hockey are done which makes it hard to sit on the sidelines, but his fellow intern and data analyst, Naomi Fletcher-Simpson makes for great company. The problem is she is Coach Simpson's daughter so they need to stay just friends. Tell that to the hot chemistry between them.
Naomi chose to do her data internship with her estranged father in order to get to know him, but he's just as removed from her life as always. Hockey tore their family apart and her mother has a new family, her twin sister is off serial dating and ignoring her, and she's left alone dealing with her own life once again. However, Michael is a great friend and confidant who listens without judging and gives her great advice. Too bad he wants to be a hockey coach like her dad. She doesn't want to be the second choice to hockey anymore.
I love Naomi and Michael as a couple. They are very comfortable with each other cracking jokes and confiding their innermost thoughts and feelings. Their attraction is strong right from the beginning and no doubt they will become more than friends, but their issues with abandonment and heartache are hard to forget. Neither of them want to love someone and lose them again. Michael lost his parents in a car accident four years ago and Naomi was left alone after her parent's divorce. With Michael's undying support, it was good to see Naomi finally step up and confront her sister and her father. I also loved Michael's mature and kind approach to coaching as he bonds with one of the troubled players and helps him out of his slump. There is no doubt Michael will be an excellent coach and he is such a good guy. One of my favorite characters actually. Naomi is a sweet and kind person in her own right. Having to be called the less pretty twin could really do a number on someone. Don't worry. There is a HEA ending that had this reader tearing up.
Naomi's sister, Cami, definitely has some serious issues going on with her wild serial dating and bad choices. I think Naomi is who grounds her and they are finding their way back to each other. I can definitely relate to Naomi's dad because my own father was a lot like him. His guilt made him afraid of saying something wrong that might push Naomi even further away, but to Naomi, it looked like he didn't love her. Her confrontation with him was a tear-jerker.
I highly recommend this beautiful and funny sports romance filled with charming and strong characters and forbidden love. Read my review of Ms. Snowe's Best Player for more great sports romance.
Thank you to Ms. Snowe for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Michael Reiner loves hockey and his internship with Coach Simpson is a dream come true. His days of playing hockey are done which makes it hard to sit on the sidelines, but his fellow intern and data analyst, Naomi Fletcher-Simpson makes for great company. The problem is she is Coach Simpson's daughter so they need to stay just friends. Tell that to the hot chemistry between them.
Naomi chose to do her data internship with her estranged father in order to get to know him, but he's just as removed from her life as always. Hockey tore their family apart and her mother has a new family, her twin sister is off serial dating and ignoring her, and she's left alone dealing with her own life once again. However, Michael is a great friend and confidant who listens without judging and gives her great advice. Too bad he wants to be a hockey coach like her dad. She doesn't want to be the second choice to hockey anymore.
I love Naomi and Michael as a couple. They are very comfortable with each other cracking jokes and confiding their innermost thoughts and feelings. Their attraction is strong right from the beginning and no doubt they will become more than friends, but their issues with abandonment and heartache are hard to forget. Neither of them want to love someone and lose them again. Michael lost his parents in a car accident four years ago and Naomi was left alone after her parent's divorce. With Michael's undying support, it was good to see Naomi finally step up and confront her sister and her father. I also loved Michael's mature and kind approach to coaching as he bonds with one of the troubled players and helps him out of his slump. There is no doubt Michael will be an excellent coach and he is such a good guy. One of my favorite characters actually. Naomi is a sweet and kind person in her own right. Having to be called the less pretty twin could really do a number on someone. Don't worry. There is a HEA ending that had this reader tearing up.
Naomi's sister, Cami, definitely has some serious issues going on with her wild serial dating and bad choices. I think Naomi is who grounds her and they are finding their way back to each other. I can definitely relate to Naomi's dad because my own father was a lot like him. His guilt made him afraid of saying something wrong that might push Naomi even further away, but to Naomi, it looked like he didn't love her. Her confrontation with him was a tear-jerker.
I highly recommend this beautiful and funny sports romance filled with charming and strong characters and forbidden love. Read my review of Ms. Snowe's Best Player for more great sports romance.
Thank you to Ms. Snowe for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
July 23, 2022
Michael Reiner left Vermont and Moo U for Central State in Illinois for a Masters in sports management. This being his last year at Central State, he gets an internship with the school's hockey team to shadow the head coach and learn all that he can from him. Michael misses Moo U, his friends, his former hockey team and most of all his sister Ryann. Once Michael starts his internship, he has to work with Naomi Fletcher-Simpson, the coach's daughter who's also doing an internship with the team. Naomi would describe herself as a nerd who had a great group of friends but didn't get along with her father or twin sister Cami. Michael was immediately attracted to Naomi but he knew that messing with coach's daughter was off-limits. I loved Michael, he was smart, patient and just a great guy. He was very observant, because he saw immediately that there was something going on with the Fletcher-Simpson family and tried to help out Naomi in any way that he could. I liked the friendship that Michael and Naomi formed, he was there for her and she was probably the second closest friend that he made in Illinois. It was obvious that they were attracted to each other, but Naomi had a thing with hockey because of what she believes it did to her family. I was happy to see that Michael had no problem talking everything through, from Naomi's "hate" of hockey, to her issues with Cami and things with her dad. Eventually they gave into their feelings and went for it. Michael was serious about his feelings for Naomi and where he wanted things to go but she was still hesitant. I liked Naomi but she had a lot of unresolved issues with her father and sister and even her mother and she took it out on Michael which was unfortunate. But Michael was also the reason she finally decided to work things out with her family. I really enjoyed this story which dealt with trauma and letting go and moving on. Michael was such a great young mentor for the guys on the hockey team because he was still very young and was helping them find their way on and off the ice. Michael and Naomi were cute together, they were friends first then became something more. I liked the cameos from Ryann and Jonah. I'm excited for this new series and I can't wait for the next book.
August 26, 2021
ᴀʀᴄ ᴩʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇꜱᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ
This book was so swoony. There were so many things that I liked about this book.
Michael was perfect, he went into a field which he knew he would like and was made for. The way he thinks about the team before himself is the best part of this him. He was adorable. His love for his sister was so cute. His relationship with Cal was the best, the way it transformed and the way he helped that kid. Ugh!!! Perfect.
Naomi was the best. Her love for data and the reason for joining the internship with her dad 😭 let me just cry. They had a stained relationship and also with her own twin, Cami. I hated Cami, I still kinda do but both of them kinda grew on me. Naomi is clumsy af which reminds me of my friend 😂 but she was a bad bish at the end and loved that part and made me weep a little.
Naomi and Michael's relationship was a friends to FWB to lovers and it was absolutely adorable. Loved how each other opened up about their feelings and also helped each other work over it. Michael understood Naomi's insecurities and so did Naomi when Cami pointed one thing out. I would love to see more about Clark Kent and Mona if they have any book.
But overall an amazing story. Would highly recommend to sports romance lovers and romance readers in general.
This book was so swoony. There were so many things that I liked about this book.
Michael was perfect, he went into a field which he knew he would like and was made for. The way he thinks about the team before himself is the best part of this him. He was adorable. His love for his sister was so cute. His relationship with Cal was the best, the way it transformed and the way he helped that kid. Ugh!!! Perfect.
Naomi was the best. Her love for data and the reason for joining the internship with her dad 😭 let me just cry. They had a stained relationship and also with her own twin, Cami. I hated Cami, I still kinda do but both of them kinda grew on me. Naomi is clumsy af which reminds me of my friend 😂 but she was a bad bish at the end and loved that part and made me weep a little.
Naomi and Michael's relationship was a friends to FWB to lovers and it was absolutely adorable. Loved how each other opened up about their feelings and also helped each other work over it. Michael understood Naomi's insecurities and so did Naomi when Cami pointed one thing out. I would love to see more about Clark Kent and Mona if they have any book.
But overall an amazing story. Would highly recommend to sports romance lovers and romance readers in general.
September 14, 2021
4 Stars!
POV: Dual (1st Person)
Tropes: Coach's daughter, Sports romance, Friends-to-lovers
Triggers: Bereavement
Likes: Michael was such a sweetie, even with how much he was dealing with internally. It was great to read their journey from friends, to lovers, to finally get their happily ever after.
Dislikes: It was a bit too slow burn for me. It kind of felt like the majority of the book was regarding the issues around her relationship with her dad. And also how she was repeatedly referred to as the 'ugly sister'.
Synopsis: The Puck Drop follows Naomi, who's always hidden in the shadow of her glamorous social butterfly twin sister. Not only with her peers, but also her father. So when she spots the chance to work for him, it gives her the perfect opportunity to put her statistical brain in gear, whilst also spending time with him. Sounds perfect right? What she didn't plan on was a huge distraction in the form of new intern coach Michael. However he also needs to keep his head on straight, after losing his parents and chance to play professionally, this coaching internship is his last chance to be near the sport he loves.
Will these two risk it all to be more than friends? Or will their own internal struggles tear them apart? A great read!
POV: Dual (1st Person)
Tropes: Coach's daughter, Sports romance, Friends-to-lovers
Triggers: Bereavement
Likes: Michael was such a sweetie, even with how much he was dealing with internally. It was great to read their journey from friends, to lovers, to finally get their happily ever after.
Dislikes: It was a bit too slow burn for me. It kind of felt like the majority of the book was regarding the issues around her relationship with her dad. And also how she was repeatedly referred to as the 'ugly sister'.
Synopsis: The Puck Drop follows Naomi, who's always hidden in the shadow of her glamorous social butterfly twin sister. Not only with her peers, but also her father. So when she spots the chance to work for him, it gives her the perfect opportunity to put her statistical brain in gear, whilst also spending time with him. Sounds perfect right? What she didn't plan on was a huge distraction in the form of new intern coach Michael. However he also needs to keep his head on straight, after losing his parents and chance to play professionally, this coaching internship is his last chance to be near the sport he loves.
Will these two risk it all to be more than friends? Or will their own internal struggles tear them apart? A great read!
August 26, 2021
This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Snowe and I enjoyed her writing. I actually had tears in my eyes while I was reading in a particular spot. I can’t imagine what Michael went through when he lost both his parents in a car wreck. I was so glad he still had his sister that he was close to. Actually he had his love of hockey and his sister which kept him going. He felt lucky to get an internship with the hockey coach at the college he was getting his master’s degree. I had a hard time deciding if I liked the coach or not. His twin girls, Cami and Naomi, were different as night and day. I couldn’t believe how different he treated them. Unfortunately this had a negative affect on Naomi and how she always felt left out of everything except her best friends. I loved how Michael and Naomi became friends. Michael was so good at trying to protect Naomi and give her good advice. They both had some big obstacles to overcome. I encourage you to read the book. I was given the book by Grey’s Promotions and voluntarily wrote a review.
September 15, 2021
4.25 STARS
Michael’s hockey playing days are over, he’s moved to another state and is getting his advanced degree and interning for the college’s hockey coach. He’s a bit of a loner now, tries to keep to himself.
Naomi is a self proclaimed nerd, data and trivia are her passion’s, she’s also interning for the coach.. who is her father.
Michael and Naomi have really fun banter, they click in that special way. I loved their jokes, conversations and the tension of their attraction is definitely hot!
They are friends who flirt and then friends with benefits. Both are convinced anything more would be bad because Naomi’s dad could get upset and ruin both their academic/work opportunities.
The secondary characters are fun, Naomi has a great girl squad. Lots of laughs with them.
She also has a twin (the “pretty” twin who is popular and has things in common with Dad) that she’s got some hurt feelings about.
Michael left his University after a tragedy, he’s still adjusting to life after loss.
They both have some emotional things holding them back and they are hurting.
They really bring out the best in each other and seem to have a connection, they understand each other.
I think they are a really fun pair, I enjoyed their story so much!
They have real feelings for each other and they have playful and fiery chemistry.
Obviously lines get blurred and things have to change.
I loved them and their story. Such an enjoyable, lower angst romance.
Michael’s hockey playing days are over, he’s moved to another state and is getting his advanced degree and interning for the college’s hockey coach. He’s a bit of a loner now, tries to keep to himself.
Naomi is a self proclaimed nerd, data and trivia are her passion’s, she’s also interning for the coach.. who is her father.
Michael and Naomi have really fun banter, they click in that special way. I loved their jokes, conversations and the tension of their attraction is definitely hot!
They are friends who flirt and then friends with benefits. Both are convinced anything more would be bad because Naomi’s dad could get upset and ruin both their academic/work opportunities.
The secondary characters are fun, Naomi has a great girl squad. Lots of laughs with them.
She also has a twin (the “pretty” twin who is popular and has things in common with Dad) that she’s got some hurt feelings about.
Michael left his University after a tragedy, he’s still adjusting to life after loss.
They both have some emotional things holding them back and they are hurting.
They really bring out the best in each other and seem to have a connection, they understand each other.
I think they are a really fun pair, I enjoyed their story so much!
They have real feelings for each other and they have playful and fiery chemistry.
Obviously lines get blurred and things have to change.
I loved them and their story. Such an enjoyable, lower angst romance.
September 6, 2021
This was a good book. I really loved Michael. I'm not sure how I felt about Naomi. Most of the time I liked her, but she had a lot of insecurities that lasted most of the book.
Michael and Naomi had really good chemistry. Michael helped Naomi step out of her comfort zone a lot when she was dealing with her sister and dad. The banter between these two was great.
This is a friends-to-lovers but also definitely a slow burn.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Michael and Naomi had really good chemistry. Michael helped Naomi step out of her comfort zone a lot when she was dealing with her sister and dad. The banter between these two was great.
This is a friends-to-lovers but also definitely a slow burn.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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