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Central State #5
Off the Ice
Falling for the hopeless romantic was never part of the plan...
Elle Van Helsing wants to start her life away from home. Constantly living under the shadow of her brother, she plans to find romance and survive on her own: even if it's financially harder than she thought. Getting a job at a dive bar three doors down from her new place is the perfect solution. Well, it was until the owner has a family emergency and asks his nephew to help out in his absence. The guy she used to have a crush on until he ruined it.
Cal Holt might be a legend on the ice, but off it? He’s alone and likes to keep it that way. It’s easier to protect himself when he’s always a jerk, but the one person who gets under his skin is Elle. Torn between wanting to get to know her and pushing her away, he’s surprised when he learns she hates him. She looked at him differently the year before, and now that they’re stuck managing a bar for a few weeks, tensions rise.
She’s a hopeless romantic who wants grand gestures and sees the world through rose-colored glasses. He’s a grumpy cynic with a permanent scowl. She dreams of love, and he wants a one-night stand. She plans to build a life on campus, and he plans to leave and head to the NHL. Complete opposites in every way, they shift from enemies to friends…but Cal refuses to fall in love, and Elle deserves more. For the girl who never felt enough, and the guy terrified to feel, fear might ruin their chance at finding love.
Elle Van Helsing wants to start her life away from home. Constantly living under the shadow of her brother, she plans to find romance and survive on her own: even if it's financially harder than she thought. Getting a job at a dive bar three doors down from her new place is the perfect solution. Well, it was until the owner has a family emergency and asks his nephew to help out in his absence. The guy she used to have a crush on until he ruined it.
Cal Holt might be a legend on the ice, but off it? He’s alone and likes to keep it that way. It’s easier to protect himself when he’s always a jerk, but the one person who gets under his skin is Elle. Torn between wanting to get to know her and pushing her away, he’s surprised when he learns she hates him. She looked at him differently the year before, and now that they’re stuck managing a bar for a few weeks, tensions rise.
She’s a hopeless romantic who wants grand gestures and sees the world through rose-colored glasses. He’s a grumpy cynic with a permanent scowl. She dreams of love, and he wants a one-night stand. She plans to build a life on campus, and he plans to leave and head to the NHL. Complete opposites in every way, they shift from enemies to friends…but Cal refuses to fall in love, and Elle deserves more. For the girl who never felt enough, and the guy terrified to feel, fear might ruin their chance at finding love.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2022
441 people are currently reading
6591 people want to read
About the author
Jaqueline Snowe
40 books1,254 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 246 reviews
November 19, 2022
The best word I have for this book is slog. I was outright skimming by the end because I'd committed several days to this book and was determined to finish, but I didn't want to. And I can't entirely figure out why, because I think it should have worked for me, but the characters were just so DUMB and not in enjoyable ways. It's probably pretty realistic as far as college students go, and that's the danger of reading those books as a fully grown adult, but man. I really just didn't enjoy this at all.
October 16, 2022
Cue me dropping everything for a Jaqueline Snowe book
Enemies to friends to lovers? Check. Mutual pining? Check. Grumpy/sunshine vibes? Check check check!
Not sure if the epilogue meant this is the last book in the series (I really hope not), but if it is, what a lovely way to finish it ❤️❤️❤️
Content warning: parental death (past), grief as a theme, panic/anxiety attacks, explicit sexual content
Enemies to friends to lovers? Check. Mutual pining? Check. Grumpy/sunshine vibes? Check check check!
Not sure if the epilogue meant this is the last book in the series (I really hope not), but if it is, what a lovely way to finish it ❤️❤️❤️
Content warning: parental death (past), grief as a theme, panic/anxiety attacks, explicit sexual content
November 13, 2024
Off the Ice, the fourth book in Jacqueline Snowe’s Central State series, offers another engaging and heartfelt romance set against the backdrop of college and hockey life. This story centers on Elle, a focused and driven student with dreams of becoming a writer, and Cal, a loner hockey player known for being an asshole. Their romance unfolds as they navigate personal insecurities and the challenges of balancing school, jobs, sports, dreams, fears, and relationships.
Sweet story 🫶
Around 4.5-4.75 ⭐️’s
Sweet story 🫶
Around 4.5-4.75 ⭐️’s
July 5, 2024
i don’t even want to talk about it. just no. do not waste your time on this book.
October 13, 2022
The hopeless romantic in me sang and danced as walls crumbled and hearts mended in this captivating continuation to the Central State series.
Elle’s vibrant optimism and fairytale-esque perspective met its match in her crush turned somewhat enemy, Cal’s, lonely resistance and the deep trenches surrounding his heart. Neither was perfect, and neither was without their battles, but there was something endearing about the support and safety to be real that they lended one another and I was swept away by the emotions they displayed.
Grief and fear collided as Cal’s soul was beared, his love and his pain a beautiful and heart-stopping union. While the chemistry and sexual tension captured between the pages was a huge selling point, it was in the small moments and genuine acts of love that my love for this story, and for Cal, was deeply founded. His story and his growth has been crafted naturally, and his healing authentic. He was protective, he was thoughtful, and he loved with all his being in the wake of heartbreak; a romantic hero you can’t help falling for!
And the ray of sunshine that was Elle! Writing a lead character who is also a writer can be hit and miss, and in this instance, Snowe has hit the mark. The boldness with which she pursued her passions in the absence of her family’s support was great to see, and I appreciated the understanding and support she showed Cal as he navigated his own battles in the capacities he needed while growing into love together. The extra depth, fun narrations, and “daydreams” that Elle’s role offered made for an entertaining lead, and her resemblances to reality were noteworthy.
Off the Ice is a slow burning, well tended flame, infused with trust and a genuine fondness that can’t be forced. Every emotion felt was strong and engaging, and aside from a couple dramatics and misunderstandings, I loved every moment.
🏒 grumpy x sunshine
🏒 wounded hero
🏒 off season sports romance
Thank you to the author and Greys Promotion for the advanced copy. LIVE NOW on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. 4.5⭐️
Elle’s vibrant optimism and fairytale-esque perspective met its match in her crush turned somewhat enemy, Cal’s, lonely resistance and the deep trenches surrounding his heart. Neither was perfect, and neither was without their battles, but there was something endearing about the support and safety to be real that they lended one another and I was swept away by the emotions they displayed.
Grief and fear collided as Cal’s soul was beared, his love and his pain a beautiful and heart-stopping union. While the chemistry and sexual tension captured between the pages was a huge selling point, it was in the small moments and genuine acts of love that my love for this story, and for Cal, was deeply founded. His story and his growth has been crafted naturally, and his healing authentic. He was protective, he was thoughtful, and he loved with all his being in the wake of heartbreak; a romantic hero you can’t help falling for!
And the ray of sunshine that was Elle! Writing a lead character who is also a writer can be hit and miss, and in this instance, Snowe has hit the mark. The boldness with which she pursued her passions in the absence of her family’s support was great to see, and I appreciated the understanding and support she showed Cal as he navigated his own battles in the capacities he needed while growing into love together. The extra depth, fun narrations, and “daydreams” that Elle’s role offered made for an entertaining lead, and her resemblances to reality were noteworthy.
Off the Ice is a slow burning, well tended flame, infused with trust and a genuine fondness that can’t be forced. Every emotion felt was strong and engaging, and aside from a couple dramatics and misunderstandings, I loved every moment.
🏒 grumpy x sunshine
🏒 wounded hero
🏒 off season sports romance
Thank you to the author and Greys Promotion for the advanced copy. LIVE NOW on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. 4.5⭐️
October 18, 2022
four stars! ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ this shit was cute as hell ngl 🤧 i knew cal was gonna be such an interesting character from the beginning, and boy was he. my heart hurt quite a bit for him, especially all the times he said shit like “i’m not used to having people care for me” or something like BOY… instant waterworks. anyways, his relationship with elle was beyond adorable, and they really served grumpy/sunshine well! there was quite a bit of miscommunication/lack of communication that irked me, but it worked well for the angst aspect. i also thought the last chapter was extremely cheesy so that kind of ruined things a smidge, but overall this was a really cute read! i’m definitely glad i stuck with the series after not really liking the first two so much!
October 18, 2022
I really, really enjoyed reading this. After a certain point I found it hard to put down - it was really cute and fun. Cal was an absolute sweetheart, for all of his grumpy ways; from his plants, to his protectiveness, to the fact he was a bit of an idiot when it came to his feelings - he was just lovely, grumpy in a good way, but actually deeply caring and sweet. The way he wanted to take care for her was so adorable and heartwarming.
I also really liked Elle. Her brand of sunshine was lovely and the moments where hse had to protect herself honestly broke my heart, it felt so real to me. The relationship between them was so good: their chemistry was delicious, the sexual tension really high, and they had some really sweet moments. The sex scenes were really hot and well-written, with the one after the bar fight being a particular highlight for its emotional punch whilst also being really steamy.
It was a very sensual book to me in a lot of ways - but a very gentle sensuality. Both characters wanted each other so badly, the mutual pining was delicious, and it was a delight to see them both work out their feelings and what they had to do about it. Cal broke my heart at points - he clearly loved Elle so much but wanted to protect himself, and his confusion and uncertainty about his own feelings and what they meant was beautifully portrayed. Her reactions to his behaviour, as I’ve already said, were also really emotional for me. It felt very realistic - the conflict in this book didn’t feel overblown or too dramatic, it felt very natural.
I just really enjoyed it - I just wanted to sit there delving into it. It was beautifully written with a lovely, solid romance at its heart, and I found it a joy to read from start to finish.
Content Notes: Grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, workplace, forced proximity, mutual pining, college, sports (hockey).
Warnings:
Other: .
I also really liked Elle. Her brand of sunshine was lovely and the moments where hse had to protect herself honestly broke my heart, it felt so real to me. The relationship between them was so good: their chemistry was delicious, the sexual tension really high, and they had some really sweet moments. The sex scenes were really hot and well-written, with the one after the bar fight being a particular highlight for its emotional punch whilst also being really steamy.
It was a very sensual book to me in a lot of ways - but a very gentle sensuality. Both characters wanted each other so badly, the mutual pining was delicious, and it was a delight to see them both work out their feelings and what they had to do about it. Cal broke my heart at points - he clearly loved Elle so much but wanted to protect himself, and his confusion and uncertainty about his own feelings and what they meant was beautifully portrayed. Her reactions to his behaviour, as I’ve already said, were also really emotional for me. It felt very realistic - the conflict in this book didn’t feel overblown or too dramatic, it felt very natural.
I just really enjoyed it - I just wanted to sit there delving into it. It was beautifully written with a lovely, solid romance at its heart, and I found it a joy to read from start to finish.
Content Notes: Grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, workplace, forced proximity, mutual pining, college, sports (hockey).
Warnings:
Other: .
October 12, 2022
Elle is going to college for creative writing, and since she can't get out from under her brother's shadow at home, she's going at it alone. She's taken a job at a bar near her apartment to help with expenses, but things get complicated when the owner has an emergency, so he has his nephew, hockey captain, Cal, taking care of things. Cal tries to keep people away from him by being a real jerk so no one can get close to him, and he did that to Elle in the past, who used to have a crush on him. Now they have to work together, and it's not easy at first because of the fighting since they had no choice but to be in each other's presence. As they go along, things take a turn for the better finally as she's just what the doctor ordered for his life, and vice versa. Off the Ice is a slow burn type of story, and it almost felt too slow but that's just me. The angst really did my heart in since I wanted to hug Cal on more than one occasion, not to mention it was sweet with heat (finally). So yeah, I really enjoyed it, and HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
March 31, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
i have never in my life been more endeared by a male lead. seriously, under all of cal holt’s grumpy, asshole-ness is a man with the softest heart. i had a pause multiple times whilst reading to gather myself because he was truly so adorable my heart could not take it. and to be able to see his growth and development from the beginning of the series was incredible. not only him but seeing elle grow into herself throughout this book as well. but cal really did steal the show for me and made me love him from the moment he suggested doing a secret santa gift exchange with the team last book.
i have never in my life been more endeared by a male lead. seriously, under all of cal holt’s grumpy, asshole-ness is a man with the softest heart. i had a pause multiple times whilst reading to gather myself because he was truly so adorable my heart could not take it. and to be able to see his growth and development from the beginning of the series was incredible. not only him but seeing elle grow into herself throughout this book as well. but cal really did steal the show for me and made me love him from the moment he suggested doing a secret santa gift exchange with the team last book.
October 26, 2022
i have never cared about grumpy/sunshine but this was v cute nd i wish it was longer .. like we coulda had another 100 pages. usually if one of the characters is obsessed with books or writing i get second-hand embarrassment from reading it because its way too on the nose but elle was obsessed in a good way. elle & cal are v cute <3 i havent read the other books in the series but i hope alex has a book pov
October 10, 2022
This is the 4th book in this incredible series, and this is Cal and Elle’s story. Elle needs a fresh start away from her home, and she finds a place to life, and a job in a dive bar near to where she stays. When the owned of the bar has a family emergency, his nephew Cal steps up to the plate to help. Elle used to have a crush on Cal until he ruined it, and now they are crossing paths, he is grumpy, and does not understand why she hates him. These two are complete opposites, but they complement each other perfectly. This is a well written story which is an enemies / lovers’ romance, with tension, challenges, family, friendships, emotions, and love, which leads to a poignant story.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
October 22, 2022
“Our story might not be typical, but I’d spend my life making sure we had our happy ever after.”
cal and elle WERE JUST SO CUTE!! and this quote is everything i love their love it’s great 🥺🥺
cal and elle WERE JUST SO CUTE!! and this quote is everything i love their love it’s great 🥺🥺
October 13, 2022
Elle and Cal are a sunshine/grumpy romance to the extreme.
I loved Elle’s attitude, the way she would get lost in her head imagining romance scenarios for everyone was so fun. I loved her positivity and kindness.
Cal has been in previous books in the series, he acts like a rude jerk… I knew there was much more to this grumpy loner. His story is really heart wrenching and quite the emotional journey.
The two have a complicated relationship. At first it’s a bit of enemies vibes. That changes slowly, Cal opens up a bit and shows a kinder side and Elle tries to be accepting. There’s bumps along the way of course.
I love the secondary characters from the bar Elle begins work at, it’s a great example of “found family”
I loved the interactions between the regulars and the Elle.
The main characters have always had an attraction, but Cal doesn’t do more than 3 nights with a person and Elle is a true romantic. So, they don’t think they should cross that line.
Things obviously get complicated, hot and super steamy.
Plenty of mixed signals and emotions happen.
I was rooting for this couple to really get honest with each other.
Cal is actually very swoon worthy as the story progresses, he’s very protective and so extremely thoughtful. I LOVE him!
This couple goes through some heavy emotions and situations and I was riveted.
I love this series, I love this couple. The secondary characters are amazing.
I think it’s a great addition to the series and has a character with a really tragic past and deep issues that still hurt him deeply.
My heart hurt for Cal at so many points in the story.
His loneliness, feelings and thoughts made me tear up many times. I wanted to hug him and tell him he’s not alone and he’s worthy.
He is such a tragic character in the beginning, his growth is beautiful.
It’s a really beautiful story of redemption, adjusting your expectations and that communication is so important.
It’s a really lovely romance and story of love among friends as well.
I loved it!
I loved Elle’s attitude, the way she would get lost in her head imagining romance scenarios for everyone was so fun. I loved her positivity and kindness.
Cal has been in previous books in the series, he acts like a rude jerk… I knew there was much more to this grumpy loner. His story is really heart wrenching and quite the emotional journey.
The two have a complicated relationship. At first it’s a bit of enemies vibes. That changes slowly, Cal opens up a bit and shows a kinder side and Elle tries to be accepting. There’s bumps along the way of course.
I love the secondary characters from the bar Elle begins work at, it’s a great example of “found family”
I loved the interactions between the regulars and the Elle.
The main characters have always had an attraction, but Cal doesn’t do more than 3 nights with a person and Elle is a true romantic. So, they don’t think they should cross that line.
Things obviously get complicated, hot and super steamy.
Plenty of mixed signals and emotions happen.
I was rooting for this couple to really get honest with each other.
Cal is actually very swoon worthy as the story progresses, he’s very protective and so extremely thoughtful. I LOVE him!
This couple goes through some heavy emotions and situations and I was riveted.
I love this series, I love this couple. The secondary characters are amazing.
I think it’s a great addition to the series and has a character with a really tragic past and deep issues that still hurt him deeply.
My heart hurt for Cal at so many points in the story.
His loneliness, feelings and thoughts made me tear up many times. I wanted to hug him and tell him he’s not alone and he’s worthy.
He is such a tragic character in the beginning, his growth is beautiful.
It’s a really beautiful story of redemption, adjusting your expectations and that communication is so important.
It’s a really lovely romance and story of love among friends as well.
I loved it!
September 29, 2022
Thank you Grey’s Promotions and Jaqueline for the e-arc!!
This book is a standalone in an interconnected series. I haven’t read any of the others in this series BUT I wish I had now and will definitely look to in the future!
This itches the scratch you have for the perfect grumpy x sunshine college sports romance, with a big scoop of found family. Our FMC wants to be a writer and I always HATE the cliches that come with MCs being writers or being obsessed with romance but Jaqueline did this so well.
Elle is an absolute joy to read about and I guarantee you’ll fall in love with her. Cal is superb, really likeable despite being “an asshole” and really portrays living with grief in a raw and honest way.
The side characters are fantastic and not two dimensional at all. I loved how one of the main side characters - Alex - used they/them pronouns, and it was done so naturally and not awkwardly which isn’t something I’ve ever experienced in a book.
The characters are super emotionally mature and y’all know I LOVE a book where we ENCOURAGE THERAPY 👏🏻
PS the love declaration was everything.
Hats off Jaqueline this is fantastic 💛
This book is a standalone in an interconnected series. I haven’t read any of the others in this series BUT I wish I had now and will definitely look to in the future!
This itches the scratch you have for the perfect grumpy x sunshine college sports romance, with a big scoop of found family. Our FMC wants to be a writer and I always HATE the cliches that come with MCs being writers or being obsessed with romance but Jaqueline did this so well.
Elle is an absolute joy to read about and I guarantee you’ll fall in love with her. Cal is superb, really likeable despite being “an asshole” and really portrays living with grief in a raw and honest way.
The side characters are fantastic and not two dimensional at all. I loved how one of the main side characters - Alex - used they/them pronouns, and it was done so naturally and not awkwardly which isn’t something I’ve ever experienced in a book.
The characters are super emotionally mature and y’all know I LOVE a book where we ENCOURAGE THERAPY 👏🏻
PS the love declaration was everything.
Hats off Jaqueline this is fantastic 💛
November 20, 2022
They really didn’t get together together to the very end. But were basically dating but said they were just friends. Was kind of annoying that they couldn’t tell each other their feeling because they thought they were protecting each other. There were also spelling errors and bad sentence structure.
Rate: 3.2/5
Smut: 1/5
Rate: 3.2/5
Smut: 1/5
July 24, 2023
DNF at 61% - this was just…. bad! there were some moments that i kept rereading cause i was like ‘is that actually a typo or am i losing my mind’ there are also some sentences and paragraphs that just sound awful and could really just use an editor!! i would also like to add that this is a ‘hockey’ romance but he has played 0 hockey throughout the book!! i also just cant spend another 100 or so pages listening to the two of them be like ‘i want you but i shouldn’t im so damaged’ i just cant!! i honestly hate dnfing this late into a book but this is just boring and not for me!!!
sleet kitten is still worse!!!
sleet kitten is still worse!!!
December 24, 2025
um… after reading a couple of other books by this author I was surprised to find this one straight up bad and borderline cringy.
it was an ‘i can change him’ romance with annoying characters, no plot and a conflict that could’ve been resolved in the first ten chapters if they just sat down and talked
it was an ‘i can change him’ romance with annoying characters, no plot and a conflict that could’ve been resolved in the first ten chapters if they just sat down and talked
January 1, 2023
Oh Cal Holt, you darling, desperately in need of therapy dude. I adored you.
If this is the end of this series, which the epilogue kind of made it seem like it was, then it must be said that Cal was my favorite, and Jaqueline Snowe has a real knack for writing my favorite sort of I'm an angry guy, but I'm also sad about it and vaguely obsessed with my girlfriend that I don't know whether or not to actually call my girlfriend character.
It's a very specific type of character.
Listen, was the distinct lack of communication in this a little frustrating at times? Sure. Should someone have told Cal to go to therapy when he was 18? Yes, absolutely. Were Cal and Elle absolutely fantastic at kissing? You betcha. I very much enjoyed this. Despite (or perhaps because of??) all those things I just listed, and because college kids are dumb and Cal was super traumatized, and my heart grew three sizes whenever he called Elle baby
I will not apologize for also enjoying fictional dudes who call their maybe-girlfriend baby.
AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE PLANT REHABILITATION THING. CAL SOMEONE SHOULD CALL YOU BABY. GO TO THERAPY. BUY MORE PLANTS. YOU'RE WONDERFUL.
Really, the point is that this was swoony and angsty and exactly what I want out of my college-set sports romances. It was a perfect read-in-one-sitting book, that was a little over the top and a tad unbelievable while not totally trending into melodrama. Plus, found family? What more could I want, really?
If this is the end of this series, which the epilogue kind of made it seem like it was, then it must be said that Cal was my favorite, and Jaqueline Snowe has a real knack for writing my favorite sort of I'm an angry guy, but I'm also sad about it and vaguely obsessed with my girlfriend that I don't know whether or not to actually call my girlfriend character.
It's a very specific type of character.
Listen, was the distinct lack of communication in this a little frustrating at times? Sure. Should someone have told Cal to go to therapy when he was 18? Yes, absolutely. Were Cal and Elle absolutely fantastic at kissing? You betcha. I very much enjoyed this. Despite (or perhaps because of??) all those things I just listed, and because college kids are dumb and Cal was super traumatized, and my heart grew three sizes whenever he called Elle baby
I will not apologize for also enjoying fictional dudes who call their maybe-girlfriend baby.
AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE PLANT REHABILITATION THING. CAL SOMEONE SHOULD CALL YOU BABY. GO TO THERAPY. BUY MORE PLANTS. YOU'RE WONDERFUL.
Really, the point is that this was swoony and angsty and exactly what I want out of my college-set sports romances. It was a perfect read-in-one-sitting book, that was a little over the top and a tad unbelievable while not totally trending into melodrama. Plus, found family? What more could I want, really?
October 10, 2022
Elle always sees the best in everyone and every situation which is part of what makes her so appealing. She is studying writing in college despite the fact that this isn’t what her family wants for her, but she is determined to prove them wrong. Needing some extra income leads her to working at a bar but she didn’t realize that would mean working with the same man who belittled her choices.
Cal is going through a difficult time and his way of coping is by distancing himself from everyone in his life so that he doesn’t get hurt again. He is destined to play in the NHL but first he needs to honor the wishes of those he loved the most but working with Elle is proving to be the biggest challenge of all. She is breaking through the walls he has built around himself and showing him that there is so much more to life than the way he has been living it.
I enjoyed these two characters as Elle is vibrant and believes in love and happy ever afters while when it comes to Cal the more we learn about him the more we understand his actions. The growth of these characters was wonderful to see as they worked to follow their dreams both personally and professionally.
Cal is going through a difficult time and his way of coping is by distancing himself from everyone in his life so that he doesn’t get hurt again. He is destined to play in the NHL but first he needs to honor the wishes of those he loved the most but working with Elle is proving to be the biggest challenge of all. She is breaking through the walls he has built around himself and showing him that there is so much more to life than the way he has been living it.
I enjoyed these two characters as Elle is vibrant and believes in love and happy ever afters while when it comes to Cal the more we learn about him the more we understand his actions. The growth of these characters was wonderful to see as they worked to follow their dreams both personally and professionally.
May 7, 2023
I got this book for free on Kindle, and I’ll admit I always automatically assume that free books are well…free for a reason. But I can honestly say this book pleasantly surprised me!! And I find myself wanting to check out the others in this series.
One thing I adored about this book is that we got to know both our main characters, Elle and Cal, as individuals first. They had lives and personalities outside of one another and that’s not something you usually get in romance books. I was able to connect with and like the characters as people, which made their journey to a relationship all the more sweeter.
4 stars instead of 5 because for a hockey romance, well, there wasn’t any hockey! We never got to see Cal on the ice or have Elle go cheer for him at games. Also 4 instead of 5 because the 3rd act conflict was way too dragged out. With how these characters were for the whole first 3 quarters of the book, I had a hard time believing Elle would be avoiding and ignoring Cal. She was always so up front with him that her behavior seemed weird to me at the end.
I think Cal’s character development was certainly my favorite and it was done so well. A man who was closed off to love because he recently lost both parents, then gaining a long lost niece and opening his heart to family and love. The scenes with Cal and Lizzie absolutely made me melt.
And Alex!! I really enjoyed the author including a nonbinary side character! The representation was so casually in there and was never specifically addressed, the reader only notices by their pronouns being used. It truly made me enjoy this book more.
All in all, I really loved this one!!
One thing I adored about this book is that we got to know both our main characters, Elle and Cal, as individuals first. They had lives and personalities outside of one another and that’s not something you usually get in romance books. I was able to connect with and like the characters as people, which made their journey to a relationship all the more sweeter.
4 stars instead of 5 because for a hockey romance, well, there wasn’t any hockey! We never got to see Cal on the ice or have Elle go cheer for him at games. Also 4 instead of 5 because the 3rd act conflict was way too dragged out. With how these characters were for the whole first 3 quarters of the book, I had a hard time believing Elle would be avoiding and ignoring Cal. She was always so up front with him that her behavior seemed weird to me at the end.
I think Cal’s character development was certainly my favorite and it was done so well. A man who was closed off to love because he recently lost both parents, then gaining a long lost niece and opening his heart to family and love. The scenes with Cal and Lizzie absolutely made me melt.
And Alex!! I really enjoyed the author including a nonbinary side character! The representation was so casually in there and was never specifically addressed, the reader only notices by their pronouns being used. It truly made me enjoy this book more.
All in all, I really loved this one!!
March 4, 2023
We! Love! Grumpy! Sad! Boys! Cal was so sad and so grumpy but so sweet and tender in his own sad boy way and it just warmed my little heart right up. The miscommunication with Elle tho was so intensely unnecessary but listen, I, too, get stuck in my head so I can’t even judge. Also I fully cried at the airport at 4am when Cal met his little cousin for the first time LIKE ARE WE KIDDING?????
I loved the found family aspect of this whole series, their stories were woven together so wonderfully. What a glorious little KU sports romance find.
3.5⭐️ rounding up & she is unashamed, embarrassing covers and all
I loved the found family aspect of this whole series, their stories were woven together so wonderfully. What a glorious little KU sports romance find.
3.5⭐️ rounding up & she is unashamed, embarrassing covers and all
October 24, 2022
4.5 stars!!
I loved this! Cal and Elle’s sory was everything I hoped it would be.
They were well suited as a couple. Cal’s emotional baggage was a lot but he worked through it and it was nice to see how he started opening up with Elle and other people too. And it was so cute to see how he wanted to take care of Elle. He brought her food 🥹
Elle was a cinnamon roll. I like that she was very strong willed and she was willing to look past the grumpiness.
There were some pretty steamy scenes too.
:)
I loved this! Cal and Elle’s sory was everything I hoped it would be.
They were well suited as a couple. Cal’s emotional baggage was a lot but he worked through it and it was nice to see how he started opening up with Elle and other people too. And it was so cute to see how he wanted to take care of Elle. He brought her food 🥹
Elle was a cinnamon roll. I like that she was very strong willed and she was willing to look past the grumpiness.
There were some pretty steamy scenes too.
:)
February 26, 2023
What a great way to wrap up this series! It was so cool to read about Carl’s growth through all of the other story lines and it was really exciting to see the found family really come together even more as this story came to a close! The miscommunication was there (which I hate) but the OPENNESS and HONESTY was refreshing. It was obvious that my Communication King Michael Reiner was a positive influence on Cal Holt. (Also, can I just add how fun it is to think of him as “CAL HOLT!” like in Arrested Development? 10/10 make-myself-laugh experience. 😌)
March 17, 2025
Something was missing in this book. I don’t know what it was necessarily, but I just didn’t love it. I feel like I could love it, but I just didn’t.
Cal was an emotionally unavailable man and I think the author played that up too much. It didn’t seem genuine. And Elle was an amazing character, but she gave me many reasons to not like her.
Overall, glad I read this book, I finished it and I couldn’t stop reading it so that’s good, but it wasn’t a fav.
Kind of a forgettable book
Cal was an emotionally unavailable man and I think the author played that up too much. It didn’t seem genuine. And Elle was an amazing character, but she gave me many reasons to not like her.
Overall, glad I read this book, I finished it and I couldn’t stop reading it so that’s good, but it wasn’t a fav.
Kind of a forgettable book
October 15, 2022
Such a fun read! Elle and Cal had amazing chemistry, and I really loved the taboo “brother’s friend” aspect of it. This can definitely be read as a standalone, considering I haven’t read the other books in the series. Steamy, emotional, quick read that was highly enjoyable. *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 12, 2023
My book favorite within this series, hands down. I didn’t think I could love a couple more than Van & Dani but Elle & Cal absolutely took the top spot.
I loved the whole enemies to friends to lovers + grumpy x sunshine thing they had going on. The tension and chemistry between the two was so well done!
All Elle wanted was a guy to give her all the romance she craved from reading her romance books & all Cal was used to was giving women 3 nights in bed. But Cal had a soft spot for her from the beginning and Elle really helped him move through the trauma he had from his parents passing. Their love story was so sweet and really all you could hope for in a romance book.
4.5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
I loved the whole enemies to friends to lovers + grumpy x sunshine thing they had going on. The tension and chemistry between the two was so well done!
All Elle wanted was a guy to give her all the romance she craved from reading her romance books & all Cal was used to was giving women 3 nights in bed. But Cal had a soft spot for her from the beginning and Elle really helped him move through the trauma he had from his parents passing. Their love story was so sweet and really all you could hope for in a romance book.
4.5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
October 11, 2022
This is the first book I've ever read by Jacqueline Snowe, and I really enjoyed it. The story flowed naturally, and I love the whole working-at-the-bar scene. I fell in love with Elle. She was always so cheerful, and had such an endearing personality, and she and Cal were perfect for each other. Overall, a very enjoyable read, and I would definitely recommend it!
June 12, 2023
This one was ok.
I got this ebook as part of stuff your kindle day and it was a pleasant read but not something I’d go out and buy for myself.
It occupied my time when I was sat in an airport well but was definitively more of a passive read for me.
I got this ebook as part of stuff your kindle day and it was a pleasant read but not something I’d go out and buy for myself.
It occupied my time when I was sat in an airport well but was definitively more of a passive read for me.
January 13, 2025
dnf @ 23%
not liking the characters or writing. confusing phrasing makes me need to reread paragraphs because i’m confused about who’s who and what’s happening. cringey, overly tropey, and not pulling me in.
not liking the characters or writing. confusing phrasing makes me need to reread paragraphs because i’m confused about who’s who and what’s happening. cringey, overly tropey, and not pulling me in.
October 12, 2022
I LURVED Elle and Cal's story! I've never been a huge fan of friends to lovers and add to that the slow burn trope, man, I would not be drawn to that combo of tropes. But I'd read just about anything by Jaqueline and I'm glad of that fact and that I read this book. These two are amazing characters and that makes a perfect foundation for a great story. They just sucked me in and I couldn't put the book down. This one is definitely my favourite out of the series.
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