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The Copper Valley Thrusters #3
Beauty and the Beefcake
She’s my sun and moon.
My stars, my air, my sunshine.
She’s every heartbeat.
There are two kinds of women in the world – those I can bang, and those I can’t.
My teammate’s sister?
She’s a can’t.
I moved in with her to protect her from a nasty ex, not to be the next guy in line.
She’s the brains.
I’m the brawn.
She’s the fruit.
I’m the sausage.
She talks too much.
I don’t talk at all, if I don’t have to.
Should be easy to resist her.
But every minute I spend with Felicity is another minute she gets under my skin. She makes me feel like something more than a dumb puckhead with a big Zamboni pony. And it’s getting harder to remember why I need to keep my hands to myself.
Beauty and the Beefcake is a vegan-friendly standalone romantic comedy featuring a hockey player whose vocabulary is the only thing smaller than a hockey puck, a book smart but aimless ventriloquist with too many voices in her head, a dilapidated old house that may or may not be haunted, and no cheating or cliffhangers.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2018
3514 people are currently reading
3089 people want to read
About the author
Pippa Grant
66 books10.7k followersPippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did.
Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.
When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.
Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.
When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.
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June 18, 2020
RATING 4.5 STARS
Beauty and the Beefcake is by Pippa Grant. This is a stand alone but the characters do appear in Pippa’s other books. This is a sports rom-com with tons and tons of heart. Two characters, both feel like they don’t fit in anywhere, like no one sees them or gets them, except each other.
“Without hockey, I’m nobody. Without hockey, there’s nothing making me okay. Nothing making me right.”
Ares Berger, twin brother of Zeus Berger, the hockey playing brothers. One loves the spot light, gets all the endorsements. And one doesn’t speak. That is Ares. Ares’s life is hockey. He’s six foot nine and is known as The Force. Ares doesn’t feel it necessary to waste air on words unless completely necessary. So, because of his size and lack of conversational skills, people think he doesn’t have a brain. They just see him as a jock. Women want him for what he can do for them. They don’t care about who he is. But now Ares has a high ankle sprain and is out of the game until it heals. He doesn’t need to heal. He can play with the pain. His team needs him. He needs his team.
Felicity Murphy is twenty seven years old and is a genius. She has several degrees in varying subjects. The latest degree she is pursuing is as a physical therapy assistant. Felicity’s brother is Nick Murphy, a pro hockey player for the Copper Valley Thrusters, the same team Ares is on. Felicity grew up with hockey. All she has ever wanted is to find some sort of job for the team, anything at all. Maybe her latest pursuit will finally get her in. Felicity has trouble fitting in. As a child she found she could vent her feelings by using different voices, she could talk without moving her lips. Now she uses her ventriloquist act for open mike nights and for every day venting. Her alter personalities are always on the ready. Felicity has another problem, one with men. She has terrible taste in men, such as her latest ex that won’t leave her alone.
“Ares Berger is under my skin. And I don’t know how to get him out. Or if I even want to.”
Felicity’s brother, Nick decides that having his teammate, Ares, move in with Felicity is the perfect solution. Felicity can watch Ares to make sure he takes care of his injury. And Ares can protect Felicity from her crazy ex boyfriend. What Nick might not have counted on is the attraction between Ares and Felicity.
“I’m very glad you exist.”
“I’m so glad I exist too.”
“She is everything. Makes me feel like I’m something. She makes me something.”
First, both of these two pretty much broke my heart. Getting into Ares head was both beautiful and painful. He felt so alone and lost sometimes. But with Felicity, he just felt seen, he felt like he was more. And Felicity, she really was so strong, even though she just didn’t know it. But Ares knew it.
“She owns me. She’s the piece I didn’t know I was missing. The words to my melody. The ice beneath my skates.”
Yes, there are plenty of silly antics, plenty of possible eye rolls, but these two characters really got to me. I just wanted to wrap them both up in a huge hug. Well, maybe just one leg since that’s all I would be able to hug since Ares is so big! This was such a sweet, sexy, fun romance, sure to make you sigh, swoon and smile. And that’s what reading is all about, right?!
“I’m finally where I’m supposed to be. Where I never thought I’d find. A home, for my heart.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Beauty and the Beefcake is by Pippa Grant. This is a stand alone but the characters do appear in Pippa’s other books. This is a sports rom-com with tons and tons of heart. Two characters, both feel like they don’t fit in anywhere, like no one sees them or gets them, except each other.
“Without hockey, I’m nobody. Without hockey, there’s nothing making me okay. Nothing making me right.”
Ares Berger, twin brother of Zeus Berger, the hockey playing brothers. One loves the spot light, gets all the endorsements. And one doesn’t speak. That is Ares. Ares’s life is hockey. He’s six foot nine and is known as The Force. Ares doesn’t feel it necessary to waste air on words unless completely necessary. So, because of his size and lack of conversational skills, people think he doesn’t have a brain. They just see him as a jock. Women want him for what he can do for them. They don’t care about who he is. But now Ares has a high ankle sprain and is out of the game until it heals. He doesn’t need to heal. He can play with the pain. His team needs him. He needs his team.
Felicity Murphy is twenty seven years old and is a genius. She has several degrees in varying subjects. The latest degree she is pursuing is as a physical therapy assistant. Felicity’s brother is Nick Murphy, a pro hockey player for the Copper Valley Thrusters, the same team Ares is on. Felicity grew up with hockey. All she has ever wanted is to find some sort of job for the team, anything at all. Maybe her latest pursuit will finally get her in. Felicity has trouble fitting in. As a child she found she could vent her feelings by using different voices, she could talk without moving her lips. Now she uses her ventriloquist act for open mike nights and for every day venting. Her alter personalities are always on the ready. Felicity has another problem, one with men. She has terrible taste in men, such as her latest ex that won’t leave her alone.
“Ares Berger is under my skin. And I don’t know how to get him out. Or if I even want to.”
Felicity’s brother, Nick decides that having his teammate, Ares, move in with Felicity is the perfect solution. Felicity can watch Ares to make sure he takes care of his injury. And Ares can protect Felicity from her crazy ex boyfriend. What Nick might not have counted on is the attraction between Ares and Felicity.
“I’m very glad you exist.”
“I’m so glad I exist too.”
“She is everything. Makes me feel like I’m something. She makes me something.”
First, both of these two pretty much broke my heart. Getting into Ares head was both beautiful and painful. He felt so alone and lost sometimes. But with Felicity, he just felt seen, he felt like he was more. And Felicity, she really was so strong, even though she just didn’t know it. But Ares knew it.
“She owns me. She’s the piece I didn’t know I was missing. The words to my melody. The ice beneath my skates.”
Yes, there are plenty of silly antics, plenty of possible eye rolls, but these two characters really got to me. I just wanted to wrap them both up in a huge hug. Well, maybe just one leg since that’s all I would be able to hug since Ares is so big! This was such a sweet, sexy, fun romance, sure to make you sigh, swoon and smile. And that’s what reading is all about, right?!
“I’m finally where I’m supposed to be. Where I never thought I’d find. A home, for my heart.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
January 23, 2024
Weird girl/Silent guy!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️💜💚
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌍
Character development: 😊😘😟
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Felicity - she is very intelligent with more than a few college degrees, none of the previous have worked out for her. Her most recent degree is in physical therapy. Her brother Nick is an NHL hockey player for the Copper Valley Thrusters. She has grown up around hockey and hockey players, and she really wants to get a job with the Thrusters as a PTA. She has never really fit in and always feels like an outsider. She does ventriloquism because she thinks it is fun and to vent her frustrations with her life.
The Hero: Ares - twin brother to Zeus from The Pilot and the Puck-Up. Ares is seen as the dumb twin. He rarely speaks and when he does, he uses as few words as possible. He likes to text people with only gifs, and they have to determine what the gifs mean. His brother is very good at decoding his gif texts. Like Zeus, Ares is around 7 feet tall and nearly half as wide. He is a mountain of a man, and it is all muscle. He is one of the stars of the professional hockey team the Copper Valley Thrusters.
The Story: I have to admit, I loved Ares in the previous books, especially Royally Pucked where he was roommates with Manning. When Manning’s prissy fiancee comes to the penthouse with her emotional support monkey Loki; Ares says, “poor monkey” and the monkey immediately fell in love with Ares and wouldn’t go back to his owner. In Zeus’ book, we heard from Zeus that though many people think Ares is dumb due to the fact that he doesn’t speak in complete sentences, Zeus knows he really is much brighter than people think.
I liked the story for the most part. Though I have to admit that Felicity is a bit of a weirdo. She thinks the ghost of her “Gammy” is haunting her house. She often switches into her odd ventriloquist voices and talks without moving her mouth, especially when she is nervous. They are odd, cartoonish voices and she has no embarrassment when she does it. Her puppets feel like real people to her, though she knows it makes her a bit crazy. This book was also a bit too much of a slow burn for me. It took them too long to get together for my liking.
This audiobook was done in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Victoria Rose and Wen Ross. Victoria Rose did a great job in the last book. At first, I didn’t like her southern accent, but it grew on me. She didn’t have an accent in this one, and I really like her voice, it sounds intelligent and is very clear. Wen Ross has a great deep voice which was perfect for Ares.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️💜💚
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌍
Character development: 😊😘😟
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Felicity - she is very intelligent with more than a few college degrees, none of the previous have worked out for her. Her most recent degree is in physical therapy. Her brother Nick is an NHL hockey player for the Copper Valley Thrusters. She has grown up around hockey and hockey players, and she really wants to get a job with the Thrusters as a PTA. She has never really fit in and always feels like an outsider. She does ventriloquism because she thinks it is fun and to vent her frustrations with her life.
The Hero: Ares - twin brother to Zeus from The Pilot and the Puck-Up. Ares is seen as the dumb twin. He rarely speaks and when he does, he uses as few words as possible. He likes to text people with only gifs, and they have to determine what the gifs mean. His brother is very good at decoding his gif texts. Like Zeus, Ares is around 7 feet tall and nearly half as wide. He is a mountain of a man, and it is all muscle. He is one of the stars of the professional hockey team the Copper Valley Thrusters.
The Story: I have to admit, I loved Ares in the previous books, especially Royally Pucked where he was roommates with Manning. When Manning’s prissy fiancee comes to the penthouse with her emotional support monkey Loki; Ares says, “poor monkey” and the monkey immediately fell in love with Ares and wouldn’t go back to his owner. In Zeus’ book, we heard from Zeus that though many people think Ares is dumb due to the fact that he doesn’t speak in complete sentences, Zeus knows he really is much brighter than people think.
I liked the story for the most part. Though I have to admit that Felicity is a bit of a weirdo. She thinks the ghost of her “Gammy” is haunting her house. She often switches into her odd ventriloquist voices and talks without moving her mouth, especially when she is nervous. They are odd, cartoonish voices and she has no embarrassment when she does it. Her puppets feel like real people to her, though she knows it makes her a bit crazy. This book was also a bit too much of a slow burn for me. It took them too long to get together for my liking.
This audiobook was done in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Victoria Rose and Wen Ross. Victoria Rose did a great job in the last book. At first, I didn’t like her southern accent, but it grew on me. She didn’t have an accent in this one, and I really like her voice, it sounds intelligent and is very clear. Wen Ross has a great deep voice which was perfect for Ares.
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May 6, 2018
I can't tell you how glad I am that I discovered Pippa Grant's books. Every time I get one of her books, I put down whatever I'm reading and start reading her brand new title. I was super excited to read this one, and it didn't disappoint. Ares is my new favorite hero. There is so much about him to love. Felicity is his perfect match. And his inner thoughts about her hit me right in the feels. Felicity's family and friends are great, too. I hope to see more of them. All in all, this was a fabulous book. I can't wait for her next one.
Reviewed by: Clare M.
Reviewed by: Clare M.
May 12, 2018
With a hero who articulates in grunts and single words and a heroine who talks enough for six people, you wouldn’t think this book would be so enchanting, hilarious and holy-hades-hot, but that is the mastery and magic of Pippa Grant. Ares easily already had a place in my heart from the previous books, that whole still waters thing really piquing my curiosity, making me eager to learn more about him, but Felicity was a virtual unknown. Yeah, her throwing her voice at Manning's dinner party was a hilarious scene in “Royally Pucked,” but her being the sister of the Thrusters’ goalie, Nick Murphy, and a talented ventriloquist was about all we knew of her before this book.
One of the things that makes this book so great is the dual POV. The Ares chapters are the most concise I’ve seen, but he says a lot with a few words. Felicity more than makes up for it with her multiple puppet voices. Actually, that’s not really fair. Even without the puppets, the characters are omnipresent with Felicity and never hesitate to interject themselves in conversations or just talk among themselves. Okay, I know that sounds schizophrenic because the characters exist only in Felicity's mind which she then manifests through ventriloquist puppets, but they're actually strong, secondary characters in the book, and it's fascinating to watch Felicity use them to sort through puzzlements, argue with herself, provide comic relief, and express herself (and sometimes Ares) through these characters.
It makes me wonder if this isn’t another glimpse behind the curtain of Pippa Grant. If the characters of her books are as alive to Ms. Grant as Felicity's are to her, it explains why Grant's characters are so realistic for the reader. It's not only as vivid as watching a movie play out on the big screen, but it's like sitting in the same room with them. But it’s even more than that because I never laugh so hard or read such creative cursing and other made up expressions as when I read one of Grant's books. She puts the “com" in rom-com, but there's still plenty of heart, emotion and tender moments, so reading her work is an all-consuming, fully engaged, visceral experience. Somehow, she manages the perfect push and pull between snarky and tender, and humor and heart. She leaves her readers hung over on these amazing characters, with a stitch in their sides and a huge happy sigh.
If this book does nothing else, it gives hope that there’s someone for everyone. Not someone perfect, but someone whose quirks and crazy are the perfect complement for that one person. Ares and Felicity are that person for each other. Felicity is a scary smart genius with four college degrees but still looking for the place she fits in life. Ares personifies a scary, dumb brute but Felicity sees deeper, clear down to his soul. Felicity says it best, that being with Ares “isn’t about power. Strength. Ritual. It’s about a magnetic force of connection. It’s about butterfly wings in my belly. It’s about craving, but also about fitting.” And with Felicity, Ares finds a place he fits, saying “I’m finally where I’m supposed to be. Where I never thought I’d find. A home. For my heart.” “Everything. She’s my everything. The last piece to my puzzle.” For a man of few words, he makes every one count.
It's always bittersweet when I finish reading a Grant book. It's supremely satisfying to get more of these incredible characters, but I’m always sad to get to the last page. I don’t know how long this series will continue, but into infinity would suit me. If there are a hundred books in this series, it won’t be enough for me. If you’ve read any books in this series, you certainly don’t need my encouragement to buy this one since you've probably already reading it. If you've not familiar with this author or series, grab this one today. It sounds corny to say a romance novel has the potential to be life altering, but Grant's work does. The tenderness will heal heartaches, the happily ever after journey will inspire hope, and the humor will brighten a dreary day.
*I reviewed an advance copy of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
One of the things that makes this book so great is the dual POV. The Ares chapters are the most concise I’ve seen, but he says a lot with a few words. Felicity more than makes up for it with her multiple puppet voices. Actually, that’s not really fair. Even without the puppets, the characters are omnipresent with Felicity and never hesitate to interject themselves in conversations or just talk among themselves. Okay, I know that sounds schizophrenic because the characters exist only in Felicity's mind which she then manifests through ventriloquist puppets, but they're actually strong, secondary characters in the book, and it's fascinating to watch Felicity use them to sort through puzzlements, argue with herself, provide comic relief, and express herself (and sometimes Ares) through these characters.
It makes me wonder if this isn’t another glimpse behind the curtain of Pippa Grant. If the characters of her books are as alive to Ms. Grant as Felicity's are to her, it explains why Grant's characters are so realistic for the reader. It's not only as vivid as watching a movie play out on the big screen, but it's like sitting in the same room with them. But it’s even more than that because I never laugh so hard or read such creative cursing and other made up expressions as when I read one of Grant's books. She puts the “com" in rom-com, but there's still plenty of heart, emotion and tender moments, so reading her work is an all-consuming, fully engaged, visceral experience. Somehow, she manages the perfect push and pull between snarky and tender, and humor and heart. She leaves her readers hung over on these amazing characters, with a stitch in their sides and a huge happy sigh.
If this book does nothing else, it gives hope that there’s someone for everyone. Not someone perfect, but someone whose quirks and crazy are the perfect complement for that one person. Ares and Felicity are that person for each other. Felicity is a scary smart genius with four college degrees but still looking for the place she fits in life. Ares personifies a scary, dumb brute but Felicity sees deeper, clear down to his soul. Felicity says it best, that being with Ares “isn’t about power. Strength. Ritual. It’s about a magnetic force of connection. It’s about butterfly wings in my belly. It’s about craving, but also about fitting.” And with Felicity, Ares finds a place he fits, saying “I’m finally where I’m supposed to be. Where I never thought I’d find. A home. For my heart.” “Everything. She’s my everything. The last piece to my puzzle.” For a man of few words, he makes every one count.
It's always bittersweet when I finish reading a Grant book. It's supremely satisfying to get more of these incredible characters, but I’m always sad to get to the last page. I don’t know how long this series will continue, but into infinity would suit me. If there are a hundred books in this series, it won’t be enough for me. If you’ve read any books in this series, you certainly don’t need my encouragement to buy this one since you've probably already reading it. If you've not familiar with this author or series, grab this one today. It sounds corny to say a romance novel has the potential to be life altering, but Grant's work does. The tenderness will heal heartaches, the happily ever after journey will inspire hope, and the humor will brighten a dreary day.
*I reviewed an advance copy of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
March 14, 2019
MCs are the weirdest characters I've ever met in a romance, and not the adorable kind of weird. She talked a lot and he didn't at all. They should live in a circus not in a book.
January 4, 2020
All the swoons!
This book! I loved Ares so much - I love the silent ones. They have so much going on than you're led to believe at first. I also adored this quirky heroine and her puppets. Virginia Rose's performance was just amazing - the different voices she had for Felicity when she was using her ventriloquy only shows how much talent she has. Wen Ross as Ares is perfect.
If I have one niggle it's the lack of variety for the male anatomy this author uses. There are other words than junk. Just saying. ;)
This book! I loved Ares so much - I love the silent ones. They have so much going on than you're led to believe at first. I also adored this quirky heroine and her puppets. Virginia Rose's performance was just amazing - the different voices she had for Felicity when she was using her ventriloquy only shows how much talent she has. Wen Ross as Ares is perfect.
If I have one niggle it's the lack of variety for the male anatomy this author uses. There are other words than junk. Just saying. ;)
December 18, 2018
DNF @ 55%
This is the weirdest "normal" (ie. not dark/twisted) romance book I've ever read. I kept persisting, decided that I will read at least half to give it and the author the benefit of the doubt in case it gets better, but unfortunately so far it hasn't and I give up.
The hero practically doesn't talk, he grunts and says some words. For example, the heroine asks him how he's feeling and he'll reply with something random like "corn". Yes there is some kind of past with him that the author tried to explain his behaviour with, but it's not really credible. It annoys me immensely how the heroine puts up with this and doesn't demand him to answer, she just accepts that he doesn't like to speak. At least the story is written in dual POV (1st person) so readers do get to understand him a bit better.
However, the heroine is even worse. So, she's into ventriloquism, which would be OK if she did it just at the stage, but she literally talks in different voices/characters even when she's talking to her friends or the hero or random people. I'm sorry but she seems schizophrenic to me - which would be OK if she was, but apparently she's just super smart (with 4 degrees at 27y old) and super funny and not mentally ill. Over-the-top humour is never my thing, but paired that with her coming across as mentally ill instead of a comedician, I don't find it funny. It creeps me out.
The only positively refreshing thing is that the heroine is sexually experienced and non-apologetic about it. On the other hand, so far she mostly focuses on the hero's looks as well (talking all the time about how big he is, his muscles, his dick etc.).
Other characters are juvenile as well, especially the heroine's brother (dick cookies, really?).
There's also some kind of a ghost in heroine's house. Yes. There is also a monkey, to add extra extravaganza - and I really don't like wild/exotic animals being held as pets.
The writing is extremely choppy. I'm not sure if that's due to the hero's character - well, actually due to both main characters being, ehm, special -, but the sentences are super short, they usually lack pronouns etc.
I don't know if this book is illustrative of this new-to-me author's writing style or if I just made a really bad choice for my first read, but I'd be very hesitant to try another book of hers.
The premisr reminded me a little of The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata (athlete, injured, grumpy, living together, kind of slowburn) - but that book is 1000 times better (and now I want to reread it)!
This is the weirdest "normal" (ie. not dark/twisted) romance book I've ever read. I kept persisting, decided that I will read at least half to give it and the author the benefit of the doubt in case it gets better, but unfortunately so far it hasn't and I give up.
The hero practically doesn't talk, he grunts and says some words. For example, the heroine asks him how he's feeling and he'll reply with something random like "corn". Yes there is some kind of past with him that the author tried to explain his behaviour with, but it's not really credible. It annoys me immensely how the heroine puts up with this and doesn't demand him to answer, she just accepts that he doesn't like to speak. At least the story is written in dual POV (1st person) so readers do get to understand him a bit better.
However, the heroine is even worse. So, she's into ventriloquism, which would be OK if she did it just at the stage, but she literally talks in different voices/characters even when she's talking to her friends or the hero or random people. I'm sorry but she seems schizophrenic to me - which would be OK if she was, but apparently she's just super smart (with 4 degrees at 27y old) and super funny and not mentally ill. Over-the-top humour is never my thing, but paired that with her coming across as mentally ill instead of a comedician, I don't find it funny. It creeps me out.
The only positively refreshing thing is that the heroine is sexually experienced and non-apologetic about it. On the other hand, so far she mostly focuses on the hero's looks as well (talking all the time about how big he is, his muscles, his dick etc.).
Other characters are juvenile as well, especially the heroine's brother (dick cookies, really?).
There's also some kind of a ghost in heroine's house. Yes. There is also a monkey, to add extra extravaganza - and I really don't like wild/exotic animals being held as pets.
The writing is extremely choppy. I'm not sure if that's due to the hero's character - well, actually due to both main characters being, ehm, special -, but the sentences are super short, they usually lack pronouns etc.
I don't know if this book is illustrative of this new-to-me author's writing style or if I just made a really bad choice for my first read, but I'd be very hesitant to try another book of hers.
The premisr reminded me a little of The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata (athlete, injured, grumpy, living together, kind of slowburn) - but that book is 1000 times better (and now I want to reread it)!
May 17, 2018
Dear god, thank you for the brilliance that is Pippa Grant and her crazy, silly, gut-busting sense of humor.
Seriously. We should all be saying that thank you because who else would be able to spin such an amazing, smart, funny, sexy tale between a ventriloquist and a hockey player who mostly communicates in grunts and inappropriate GIFs and has an emotional support monkey as a sidekick? Yeah, you read that correctly. Emotional. Support. Monkey. Who's a cockblocker too.
I knew Ares and Felicity’s story would be a deep one. That Ares . . . err . . . communication style would have a reason, a real one not something stupid. And that Felicity would just “get” him, “see” him. And I was so damn right.
I loved each and every one of their interactions. Loved Felicity’s voices and her ability to use them for both good and evil. Loved how deeply she loved, and felt, and really just wanted to be “normal” when in reality she’s the best person in the whole room.
I couldn’t read Beauty and the Beefcake fast enough. I devoured Ares and Felicity’s story. I loved them together. In between my belly aching laughter, I loved how they loved and accepted each other with all their perfectly imperfect parts. ~ Missy, 5 stars
Seriously. We should all be saying that thank you because who else would be able to spin such an amazing, smart, funny, sexy tale between a ventriloquist and a hockey player who mostly communicates in grunts and inappropriate GIFs and has an emotional support monkey as a sidekick? Yeah, you read that correctly. Emotional. Support. Monkey. Who's a cockblocker too.
I knew Ares and Felicity’s story would be a deep one. That Ares . . . err . . . communication style would have a reason, a real one not something stupid. And that Felicity would just “get” him, “see” him. And I was so damn right.
I loved each and every one of their interactions. Loved Felicity’s voices and her ability to use them for both good and evil. Loved how deeply she loved, and felt, and really just wanted to be “normal” when in reality she’s the best person in the whole room.
I couldn’t read Beauty and the Beefcake fast enough. I devoured Ares and Felicity’s story. I loved them together. In between my belly aching laughter, I loved how they loved and accepted each other with all their perfectly imperfect parts. ~ Missy, 5 stars
August 2, 2021
This is third in a series and the first is Ares' brother, Zeus, so you should probably read at least that one before this.
If you're expecting anything like The Pilot & the Puck-Up, you're headed for disappointment. Which is good because Ares is a very different character so if Grant had tried to keep up that kind of energy, it would have fallen very flat. Ares is his own distinct kind of weird and that's all to the good. Also, Felicity is a full-out whack-job (not in a bad way) and that's very much part of the tone. Set expectations appropriately, is what I'm saying. So if, for example, the first chapters irritate you, like, at all, then it's probably wise to bail.
Personally, I engaged with Felicity early and Ares didn't disappoint and that was enough to go on with. Felicity is actually a much more difficult character to pull off than is obvious. She's graduate-high-school-at-thirteen-level genius and that's always going to be a challenge to write. More so when she has been crashing out of professions for years, accumulating degrees in an endless hope to achieve a spot working with or around her favorite hockey team. Maybe I related to her because her form of ADHD matches my own, only ramped to an extreme. So I can totally get becoming bored, leading to being distracted, heading towards disaster. At any rate, Grant manages a realistic-enough portrayal by remembering that she's a person and that smart doesn't equate to success (much to the bitter disappointment of many a smart person, I might add) and that this carries some trauma and insecurities with it.
And I liked that Felicity dumps spare brain cycles (my characterization) by creating dialogue between her made-up friends to comment on things as they happen. She's witty and engaging and admirably consistent and I loved that she'd continue even when she didn't have her puppets to manifest the conversation in real-space. Yes, it made her socially weird, but I totally get how once you develop that kind of psychological crutch, it'd be hard to suppress just because people are around.
And I ended up liking Ares quite well, too. He's quiet, but not stupid. He's nowhere near Felicity's level of smart, and I like that Grant didn't try that. But he's thoughtful and observant and smart enough to appreciate Felicity's wit and occasionally hold his own, at least for a while.
Seeing them connect and develop trust on the way to intimacy was outstanding. I liked that both struggled understanding each other, but that they communicated to get past those times they misconnected (even without Ares talking much). And I liked that both characters grew in the course of the story and did so by leveraging the strengths of the other.
And the ending knocked this solidly into five star territory. The breakthroughs were exactly what they needed to be. And the mutual sacrifices and support put the heart of this story in its place at the center. So yeah, five stars and I'm looking forward to more.
A note about Steamy: There are five or six explicit sex scenes in this story (if I remember correct) putting this into the high end of my steam tolerance. They were more than a little awesome, though, and well-integrated into the character/relationship arc and that's always nice.
If you're expecting anything like The Pilot & the Puck-Up, you're headed for disappointment. Which is good because Ares is a very different character so if Grant had tried to keep up that kind of energy, it would have fallen very flat. Ares is his own distinct kind of weird and that's all to the good. Also, Felicity is a full-out whack-job (not in a bad way) and that's very much part of the tone. Set expectations appropriately, is what I'm saying. So if, for example, the first chapters irritate you, like, at all, then it's probably wise to bail.
Personally, I engaged with Felicity early and Ares didn't disappoint and that was enough to go on with. Felicity is actually a much more difficult character to pull off than is obvious. She's graduate-high-school-at-thirteen-level genius and that's always going to be a challenge to write. More so when she has been crashing out of professions for years, accumulating degrees in an endless hope to achieve a spot working with or around her favorite hockey team. Maybe I related to her because her form of ADHD matches my own, only ramped to an extreme. So I can totally get becoming bored, leading to being distracted, heading towards disaster. At any rate, Grant manages a realistic-enough portrayal by remembering that she's a person and that smart doesn't equate to success (much to the bitter disappointment of many a smart person, I might add) and that this carries some trauma and insecurities with it.
And I liked that Felicity dumps spare brain cycles (my characterization) by creating dialogue between her made-up friends to comment on things as they happen. She's witty and engaging and admirably consistent and I loved that she'd continue even when she didn't have her puppets to manifest the conversation in real-space. Yes, it made her socially weird, but I totally get how once you develop that kind of psychological crutch, it'd be hard to suppress just because people are around.
And I ended up liking Ares quite well, too. He's quiet, but not stupid. He's nowhere near Felicity's level of smart, and I like that Grant didn't try that. But he's thoughtful and observant and smart enough to appreciate Felicity's wit and occasionally hold his own, at least for a while.
Seeing them connect and develop trust on the way to intimacy was outstanding. I liked that both struggled understanding each other, but that they communicated to get past those times they misconnected (even without Ares talking much). And I liked that both characters grew in the course of the story and did so by leveraging the strengths of the other.
And the ending knocked this solidly into five star territory. The breakthroughs were exactly what they needed to be. And the mutual sacrifices and support put the heart of this story in its place at the center. So yeah, five stars and I'm looking forward to more.
A note about Steamy: There are five or six explicit sex scenes in this story (if I remember correct) putting this into the high end of my steam tolerance. They were more than a little awesome, though, and well-integrated into the character/relationship arc and that's always nice.
March 31, 2021
4.5 strong, silent type stars
I have been anxiously awaiting Ares's story bc he has been my favorite since the first book I read where he was introduced as one of the h's ginormous twin brothers (Mister McHottie
, book 1 in the Girl Band series)... Though he is a well-known and very talented hockey player (nicknamed "The Force"), he has always struggled with communicating like a "normal person." When he was a child, he was unable to hear very well until his deficiency was discovered when he was 6 years old, and he had ear tubes placed to correct the problem. But by that time, he had become used to not speaking, or letting his twin (Zeus, H in book 1 of this series: The Pilot & the Puck-Up
) speak for him as he is one of the very few people that actually understands him. A few months ago, Ares was traded to the Copper Valley Thrusters (located in southern Virginia), so learning to adapt to a new team and city so far from home (he's from Minnesota and was previously playing for Chicago) has been a challenge for a man of few words. But he has made friends, including a prince (Manning Frey who is also a newbie) and the team's goalie, Nick Murphy. So when Ares ends up on the IR because of a high ankle sprain, Nick decides having his buddy keep an eye on his little sister is a perfect way for Ares to spend his down time. The only problem is that Ares finds Felicity fascinating... and teammates' sisters are definitely off-limits.
Felicity Murphy knows two things for certain: she loves venting (meaning, the practice of ventriloquism) and has always wanted to work for the Thrusters, the hometown hockey team. She knows everything about the team and about hockey in general, as her big brother is the starting goalie, but she has never found the right fit. The car accident on her driving record (that wasn't even her fault) negated her six attempts at applying for the role of Zamboni driver. And even though she has 4 different degrees, she still hasn't found the right career. At age 27, she is now finishing a PT (Personal Trainer) certification that she hopes will finally be her in since her ventriloquism act is only for amateur nights. But she still has to deal with her overprotective big brother that is supportive of her career(s) yet refuses to stop playing her protector.... though that might have something to do with the fact that she chooses the worst kinds of men to date.
Felicity's track record of attracting stalkers and d-bags speaks for itself, and the most recent asshat has yet to take the hint. So when big brother decides that Ares Berger needs a new place to crash, Felicity knows his bigger motivation for letting Ares stay at the house their grandmother is haunting (for real) is putting a watchdog on her. Like she needs a babysitter. Especially one that barely speaks, and when he does, it's nonsense. And it really doesn't help that Felicity finds Ares intriguing and wants to solve the puzzle he poses... not to mention he's a handsome, athletic, and hot. As Felicity and Ares spend more time together, their attraction grows stronger. Will Ares break the no teammates' sisters rule? Can Felicity trust that Ares is not another mistake waiting to happen? And even if they overcome their own issues, can they get past the cock-blocking monkey roaming around Grammy's haunted house?
What I liked:
--- ARES! ARES! ARES!
--- Finally got a better understanding of what was behind the silent giant, and it was all I hoped for and more
--- Felicity's puppets were funny for the most part - they added interesting insights to say the least
--- Steamy goodness (once we got there)
What I didn't like as much:
--- Too slow of a burn - they really needed to go for it sooner (& more often - I need more smut in my Ares story!)
--- While I liked Felicity overall, she was a little too silly at times, and I also didn't love her "boo-hoo I attract too many men everywhere I go" attitude - give me a break
Overall, this is definitely my favorite H of all (from the Girl Band and Copper Thrusters series, which are the only 2 I have read of Grant's thus far). I need an Ares. Stat. Could have used a steamier story, but it was still a satisfying HEA.
Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5 (Ares = 5; Felicity = 4)
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3.5/5
Violence --- nothing graphic (some "removal" of annoying people by Ares picking them up by the collars and setting them down far away from Felicity; one solid punch to the face of a douchy ex by Felicity)
Language --- yes
POV --- Dual
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
I have been anxiously awaiting Ares's story bc he has been my favorite since the first book I read where he was introduced as one of the h's ginormous twin brothers (Mister McHottie
, book 1 in the Girl Band series)... Though he is a well-known and very talented hockey player (nicknamed "The Force"), he has always struggled with communicating like a "normal person." When he was a child, he was unable to hear very well until his deficiency was discovered when he was 6 years old, and he had ear tubes placed to correct the problem. But by that time, he had become used to not speaking, or letting his twin (Zeus, H in book 1 of this series: The Pilot & the Puck-Up
) speak for him as he is one of the very few people that actually understands him. A few months ago, Ares was traded to the Copper Valley Thrusters (located in southern Virginia), so learning to adapt to a new team and city so far from home (he's from Minnesota and was previously playing for Chicago) has been a challenge for a man of few words. But he has made friends, including a prince (Manning Frey who is also a newbie) and the team's goalie, Nick Murphy. So when Ares ends up on the IR because of a high ankle sprain, Nick decides having his buddy keep an eye on his little sister is a perfect way for Ares to spend his down time. The only problem is that Ares finds Felicity fascinating... and teammates' sisters are definitely off-limits.Felicity Murphy knows two things for certain: she loves venting (meaning, the practice of ventriloquism) and has always wanted to work for the Thrusters, the hometown hockey team. She knows everything about the team and about hockey in general, as her big brother is the starting goalie, but she has never found the right fit. The car accident on her driving record (that wasn't even her fault) negated her six attempts at applying for the role of Zamboni driver. And even though she has 4 different degrees, she still hasn't found the right career. At age 27, she is now finishing a PT (Personal Trainer) certification that she hopes will finally be her in since her ventriloquism act is only for amateur nights. But she still has to deal with her overprotective big brother that is supportive of her career(s) yet refuses to stop playing her protector.... though that might have something to do with the fact that she chooses the worst kinds of men to date.
Felicity's track record of attracting stalkers and d-bags speaks for itself, and the most recent asshat has yet to take the hint. So when big brother decides that Ares Berger needs a new place to crash, Felicity knows his bigger motivation for letting Ares stay at the house their grandmother is haunting (for real) is putting a watchdog on her. Like she needs a babysitter. Especially one that barely speaks, and when he does, it's nonsense. And it really doesn't help that Felicity finds Ares intriguing and wants to solve the puzzle he poses... not to mention he's a handsome, athletic, and hot. As Felicity and Ares spend more time together, their attraction grows stronger. Will Ares break the no teammates' sisters rule? Can Felicity trust that Ares is not another mistake waiting to happen? And even if they overcome their own issues, can they get past the cock-blocking monkey roaming around Grammy's haunted house?
What I liked:
--- ARES! ARES! ARES!
--- Finally got a better understanding of what was behind the silent giant, and it was all I hoped for and more
--- Felicity's puppets were funny for the most part - they added interesting insights to say the least
--- Steamy goodness (once we got there)
What I didn't like as much:
--- Too slow of a burn - they really needed to go for it sooner (& more often - I need more smut in my Ares story!)
--- While I liked Felicity overall, she was a little too silly at times, and I also didn't love her "boo-hoo I attract too many men everywhere I go" attitude - give me a break
Overall, this is definitely my favorite H of all (from the Girl Band and Copper Thrusters series, which are the only 2 I have read of Grant's thus far). I need an Ares. Stat. Could have used a steamier story, but it was still a satisfying HEA.
Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5 (Ares = 5; Felicity = 4)
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3.5/5
Violence --- nothing graphic (some "removal" of annoying people by Ares picking them up by the collars and setting them down far away from Felicity; one solid punch to the face of a douchy ex by Felicity)
Language --- yes
POV --- Dual
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
May 9, 2023
5 stars for Ares, 2 stars for Felicity
Omg. Ares. ARES! That man had me swoooooning left and right! Sigh. I’ve been waiting to read his book since I met him years ago in Mister McHottie, then saw him in the previous two books in this series (I loved reading his twin brother’s book- Zeus’s). But Felicity made me cringe 😬.
Felicity (27) lives in her grandmother‘s house. Her brother, Nick, tells her that Ares’s going to be living with her. Nick plays for the thrusters, along with Ares and other people on the team. Felicity’s a very smart woman, has multiple degrees with a high IQ, but doesn’t know what she wants to do in her life. when the opportunity to be the physical therapist assistant comes up, she takes advantage and takes it. It works out because Ares gets injured.
Ares’s life is all about hockey. He’s known as the more stoic, quiet, man-of-little-words twin. He’s been ridiculed in the past, so he just prefers to say as little as possible. Why say something in 100 words when you can say it in two? When he gets injured, he feels like he has no purpose in life. He moves in with Felicity who’s going to be helping him recover from his injury. He also has a cute monkey, Loki.
What I liked-
—for being so quiet, Ares is extremely swooony🥰 At first, he might seem standoffish or grumpy, but then we learn how much he takes in around his world, how much he pays attention, how much he actually knows and isn’t given enough credit for. Sigh. This man says more with a look and his actions than many rhetoricians say in their lifetimes 🥹. He just gets it ❤️
—the few smexy times. We don’t get many. This is on the slow burn side too (70% when the full magic happens), but I loved seeing Ares in them. He’s confident and just so yummy 🤤. Plus. He pays attention 🥵 and ensures Felicity feels satiated 💦🔥. Annnnnd he’s able to carry her and move her around. Big plus in my book 😉
—the soft side of Ares. Sigh. Gosh. This man made me get emotional 🥹. For someone so quiet and confident on the field, he has so many insecurities, like regular people
—Felicity’s soft side❤️. I actually felt a punch in my gut when her brother tells her that she’s not normal 🥺. Ugh. She became a more likable person when she was vulnerable
—side characters. I love seeing past characters from previous books and I enjoy seeing who the next book’s going to be about, Nick, Felicity‘s brother
—for once, the h is just as hot as the H. Felicity has GAAAAAME! She’s not virginal (nor a hoooar) and has had her share of relationships. I like that she can easily move on if she needed to (makes the H sweat lol), which means that I like
—the couple of jp scenes. Maybe they’re more protective, but when Felicity‘s ex is giving her a hard time and Ares takes over, I loved it lol
—the bonus epilogues ❤️. Too bad to have to sign up to get them lol (luckily, I’m already subscribed
What I didn’t like/wanted more of:
—the puppets. I get it. I GET IT- she’s a ventriloquist. I get that part of her job, side job I should say, is that she needs to have these different voices. But, oh my gosh, having her constantly use her different voices was annoying especially…
—during the smexxy time voices. 😒😒😒🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️. I was CRINGING!!! CRINGING 😬. Girl. Felicity. Don’t ruin MY mood by talking to yourself using your many characters’ voices DURING 🔥🔥🔥. I know it didn’t ruin it for Ares cause he kept going, but I was covering my eyes in awkwardness 🫣
—and her voices/talking to herself comes out throughout the most awkward times 🤦🏻♀️. Like. 😬😬😬 ugh. I didn’t care for it. If this wasn’t part of the book, this could’ve easily been a 4.5 or a 5 star read for me
—more smexy times. Considering Ares is VERY experienced, I would’ve liked there to be more. We get some FTB ones too 😒😑 sigh. Don’t do this to me 🙄. I already have to hear and read her random voices throughout the book, even in pivotal moments, at least give me full 🔥 scenes
Overall, I liked it. I think my rating suffered because I just finished Pen Pal and, well, I’m experiencing a slight book slump LOL. Maybe it’s just me and not the book? I don’t know. But I like this book the least from the series so far. If it was a book just on Ares, five stars easily. But…
Um…
It’s not just Ares. It’s Ares plus Felicity and her 3 or 4 other voices/personalities 😬. So… yeah. I didn’t sign up to read a MF and ??? (The puppets). But yeah. Lol. I loooved Ares.
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd
-H previous manwhore/h not a virgin
-OM: many OM hit on the h/OM1 is the h’s ex who keeps bugging. The h moved out and he’s being a pain the one ass. When the tries to be forcible with the h by grabbing her, the H kicks some ass 💅. OM2 asks the h out and then asks if she can be a ventriloquist while giving h€@d. The H reacts violently 💁🏻♀️and the h’s brother too
-condom/then none/birth control
Omg. Ares. ARES! That man had me swoooooning left and right! Sigh. I’ve been waiting to read his book since I met him years ago in Mister McHottie, then saw him in the previous two books in this series (I loved reading his twin brother’s book- Zeus’s). But Felicity made me cringe 😬.
Felicity (27) lives in her grandmother‘s house. Her brother, Nick, tells her that Ares’s going to be living with her. Nick plays for the thrusters, along with Ares and other people on the team. Felicity’s a very smart woman, has multiple degrees with a high IQ, but doesn’t know what she wants to do in her life. when the opportunity to be the physical therapist assistant comes up, she takes advantage and takes it. It works out because Ares gets injured.
Ares’s life is all about hockey. He’s known as the more stoic, quiet, man-of-little-words twin. He’s been ridiculed in the past, so he just prefers to say as little as possible. Why say something in 100 words when you can say it in two? When he gets injured, he feels like he has no purpose in life. He moves in with Felicity who’s going to be helping him recover from his injury. He also has a cute monkey, Loki.
What I liked-
—for being so quiet, Ares is extremely swooony🥰 At first, he might seem standoffish or grumpy, but then we learn how much he takes in around his world, how much he pays attention, how much he actually knows and isn’t given enough credit for. Sigh. This man says more with a look and his actions than many rhetoricians say in their lifetimes 🥹. He just gets it ❤️
—the few smexy times. We don’t get many. This is on the slow burn side too (70% when the full magic happens), but I loved seeing Ares in them. He’s confident and just so yummy 🤤. Plus. He pays attention 🥵 and ensures Felicity feels satiated 💦🔥. Annnnnd he’s able to carry her and move her around. Big plus in my book 😉
—the soft side of Ares. Sigh. Gosh. This man made me get emotional 🥹. For someone so quiet and confident on the field, he has so many insecurities, like regular people
—Felicity’s soft side❤️. I actually felt a punch in my gut when her brother tells her that she’s not normal 🥺. Ugh. She became a more likable person when she was vulnerable
—side characters. I love seeing past characters from previous books and I enjoy seeing who the next book’s going to be about, Nick, Felicity‘s brother
—for once, the h is just as hot as the H. Felicity has GAAAAAME! She’s not virginal (nor a hoooar) and has had her share of relationships. I like that she can easily move on if she needed to (makes the H sweat lol), which means that I like
—the couple of jp scenes. Maybe they’re more protective, but when Felicity‘s ex is giving her a hard time and Ares takes over, I loved it lol
—the bonus epilogues ❤️. Too bad to have to sign up to get them lol (luckily, I’m already subscribed
What I didn’t like/wanted more of:
—the puppets. I get it. I GET IT- she’s a ventriloquist. I get that part of her job, side job I should say, is that she needs to have these different voices. But, oh my gosh, having her constantly use her different voices was annoying especially…
—during the smexxy time voices. 😒😒😒🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️. I was CRINGING!!! CRINGING 😬. Girl. Felicity. Don’t ruin MY mood by talking to yourself using your many characters’ voices DURING 🔥🔥🔥. I know it didn’t ruin it for Ares cause he kept going, but I was covering my eyes in awkwardness 🫣
—and her voices/talking to herself comes out throughout the most awkward times 🤦🏻♀️. Like. 😬😬😬 ugh. I didn’t care for it. If this wasn’t part of the book, this could’ve easily been a 4.5 or a 5 star read for me
—more smexy times. Considering Ares is VERY experienced, I would’ve liked there to be more. We get some FTB ones too 😒😑 sigh. Don’t do this to me 🙄. I already have to hear and read her random voices throughout the book, even in pivotal moments, at least give me full 🔥 scenes
Overall, I liked it. I think my rating suffered because I just finished Pen Pal and, well, I’m experiencing a slight book slump LOL. Maybe it’s just me and not the book? I don’t know. But I like this book the least from the series so far. If it was a book just on Ares, five stars easily. But…
Um…
It’s not just Ares. It’s Ares plus Felicity and her 3 or 4 other voices/personalities 😬. So… yeah. I didn’t sign up to read a MF and ??? (The puppets). But yeah. Lol. I loooved Ares.
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd
-H previous manwhore/h not a virgin
-OM: many OM hit on the h/OM1 is the h’s ex who keeps bugging. The h moved out and he’s being a pain the one ass. When the tries to be forcible with the h by grabbing her, the H kicks some ass 💅. OM2 asks the h out and then asks if she can be a ventriloquist while giving h€@d. The H reacts violently 💁🏻♀️and the h’s brother too
-condom/then none/birth control
December 12, 2020
DNF at 23%
Pippa Grant just isn’t the author for me. I enjoyed the first book I’ve read by her, but since then I’ve rated one of her books 3 stars and the other 3 have been DNFs, so this is unfortunately going to be my last attempt at reading anything by her.
I love romcoms but I’ve noticed a pattern in her books where the characters are super over the top and quirky in an attempt to be whimsical and funny, but I just find it goes slightly too far to the point where it becomes annoying.
For example, this book features a supposed genius MFC who does ventriloquism as a hobby and repeatedly switches between her character’s voices to the point where she seems mentally unstable and it’s not at all amusing. Our male character barely speaks, talks almost entirely in grunts and will answer regular questions with random words like “bees”. I couldn’t tell if he was genuinely suffering from some kind of verbal or cognitive disability, or whether the author was just playing it for laughs. It honestly made me uncomfortable and kind of mad.
There is also a bunch of random “quirky” moments that are thrown in, like thousands of penis cookies on her lawn, a supposed ghost, and a pet monkey. But it is all just a bit much. The writing also felt disjointed, especially during Ares’ chapters. I know it was done on purpose but I found it too jarring, and I just couldn’t get fully absorbed into the story.
I wanted to like this so much because I do love a grumpy hero romance, and there were moments where I could sense a spark between Felicity and Ares, but overall I just couldn’t deal with this. I’m so sad because I’m so often intrigued by Pippa Grant’s plots, but her writing just isn’t for me unfortunately.
Pippa Grant just isn’t the author for me. I enjoyed the first book I’ve read by her, but since then I’ve rated one of her books 3 stars and the other 3 have been DNFs, so this is unfortunately going to be my last attempt at reading anything by her.
I love romcoms but I’ve noticed a pattern in her books where the characters are super over the top and quirky in an attempt to be whimsical and funny, but I just find it goes slightly too far to the point where it becomes annoying.
For example, this book features a supposed genius MFC who does ventriloquism as a hobby and repeatedly switches between her character’s voices to the point where she seems mentally unstable and it’s not at all amusing. Our male character barely speaks, talks almost entirely in grunts and will answer regular questions with random words like “bees”. I couldn’t tell if he was genuinely suffering from some kind of verbal or cognitive disability, or whether the author was just playing it for laughs. It honestly made me uncomfortable and kind of mad.
There is also a bunch of random “quirky” moments that are thrown in, like thousands of penis cookies on her lawn, a supposed ghost, and a pet monkey. But it is all just a bit much. The writing also felt disjointed, especially during Ares’ chapters. I know it was done on purpose but I found it too jarring, and I just couldn’t get fully absorbed into the story.
I wanted to like this so much because I do love a grumpy hero romance, and there were moments where I could sense a spark between Felicity and Ares, but overall I just couldn’t deal with this. I’m so sad because I’m so often intrigued by Pippa Grant’s plots, but her writing just isn’t for me unfortunately.
May 16, 2018
-Kacie, 4 stars
Weird. Unique. Quirky. Unusual. Different. Funny. Unlike anything I have ever read before.
Felicity is a genius vegan, with a great love of all things Thrusters hockey, and six different personalities (a ventriloquist). She also has horrible taste in men and her one goal and passion in life is to work/be associated with the Thrusters hockey team. Ares is an injured hockey player that only grunts/mumbles and sends quirky gifs in text messages. He had trouble as a child and because of that he’s not big on talking. It’s heartbreaking to me to know his story and how he gets picked on as an adult. Most people (the announcers) see him as an idiot that only talks about his socks. No one looks at him deeper, until Felicity. She looks at him, knows and understands him. He also, sees the real her.
I thought the writing was great and I loved that the story was unique and unlike any other. While I found the story to be different, it sucked me in. It was quirky and hilarious. I would definitely read another book by Pippa Grant.
Weird. Unique. Quirky. Unusual. Different. Funny. Unlike anything I have ever read before.
Felicity is a genius vegan, with a great love of all things Thrusters hockey, and six different personalities (a ventriloquist). She also has horrible taste in men and her one goal and passion in life is to work/be associated with the Thrusters hockey team. Ares is an injured hockey player that only grunts/mumbles and sends quirky gifs in text messages. He had trouble as a child and because of that he’s not big on talking. It’s heartbreaking to me to know his story and how he gets picked on as an adult. Most people (the announcers) see him as an idiot that only talks about his socks. No one looks at him deeper, until Felicity. She looks at him, knows and understands him. He also, sees the real her.
I thought the writing was great and I loved that the story was unique and unlike any other. While I found the story to be different, it sucked me in. It was quirky and hilarious. I would definitely read another book by Pippa Grant.
May 16, 2019
5 stars for the Hero (LOVE ARES!! reminds me of my...cough...Cecile's Tiger. Not quite as silent. Not quite as magnetic, but still a man after my own fluttering heart!)
3 stars for the heroine. She's just too weird, with the ventriloquism and hooking up with too many hockey players and "dicks". I do think she deserved Ares, but she did hurt him toward the end, and I don't like that. I LOVE Ares!!
So together, average of 4 stars.
Plot is simple, as always. Girl with stalker ex. Guy with injury (girl is PT). They hole up together (maneuvered by girl's bro, who is the guy's teammate). Chemistry leads to a natural conclusion.
The weird stuff (aside from dummies) comes in the form of a monkey (a real one) which is TOO OFTEN alluded to as the "monkey" in the guy's pants. And of course, he's got a BIG ONE. He's in fact big all over (hence, beefcake).
I honestly just skip over the stupid slapstick comedy stuff. I'm not the type of reader who laughs at these things. I like subtle, wry, intelligent humor. So this book did NOT make me laugh.
At all.
But. I fell in love with the Hero. I LOVE the strong, silent, deeply feeling types. LOVE LOVE LOVE them! And Ares embodied that. He's a giver. He's just waiting for that special woman to see him for who he is, not for his talent, or his body or his penis. But HIM. The man inside. And then he'll give her everything. He's a risk taker. His VM to...girl (I don't even recall her NAME~!) toward the end made my throat tighten and almost tear up.
Where can I get a guy like him?????
Wish the author did less slapstick and more emotional intensity. Then it would be a 5 star read.
3 stars for the heroine. She's just too weird, with the ventriloquism and hooking up with too many hockey players and "dicks". I do think she deserved Ares, but she did hurt him toward the end, and I don't like that. I LOVE Ares!!
So together, average of 4 stars.
Plot is simple, as always. Girl with stalker ex. Guy with injury (girl is PT). They hole up together (maneuvered by girl's bro, who is the guy's teammate). Chemistry leads to a natural conclusion.
The weird stuff (aside from dummies) comes in the form of a monkey (a real one) which is TOO OFTEN alluded to as the "monkey" in the guy's pants. And of course, he's got a BIG ONE. He's in fact big all over (hence, beefcake).
I honestly just skip over the stupid slapstick comedy stuff. I'm not the type of reader who laughs at these things. I like subtle, wry, intelligent humor. So this book did NOT make me laugh.
At all.
But. I fell in love with the Hero. I LOVE the strong, silent, deeply feeling types. LOVE LOVE LOVE them! And Ares embodied that. He's a giver. He's just waiting for that special woman to see him for who he is, not for his talent, or his body or his penis. But HIM. The man inside. And then he'll give her everything. He's a risk taker. His VM to...girl (I don't even recall her NAME~!) toward the end made my throat tighten and almost tear up.
Where can I get a guy like him?????
Wish the author did less slapstick and more emotional intensity. Then it would be a 5 star read.
August 29, 2020
Funny that I did not find this in the least bit funny. Weird and unromantic. Between the babbling and the grunting, mediocre at best. That was 80% in. Finally in the last two chapters, the characters come alive. Too little too late for me. In the interest of fairness I did see the movie Magic back in the day. That's when I knew Anthony Hopkins was an extraordinary talent. Fats the dummy creeped me out. I get the heebeegeebies just thinking about it. A bunch of dummies piled in a room I have to walk by every day? Freak. Me. Out. Oh God, not more of the one word sentences. When you're happy it's finally over it's not a good thing. The monkey was cool. 🐒🏒
February 6, 2019
I tried so hard to keep reading.. but i swear to god... Ares... i couldn't all he did was grunt and said one word bs stuff.. how the fk can i connect with someone who grunts??
And as for Felicity.. i get her job as a puppet person.. but to always talk in different voices randomly with no puppets is.. well yeah no.. it only gets 1 star cuz of the monkey..
I don't think i can read 49 chapters and wait and see if he changes.. :/ im so bummed this one failed..
And as for Felicity.. i get her job as a puppet person.. but to always talk in different voices randomly with no puppets is.. well yeah no.. it only gets 1 star cuz of the monkey..
I don't think i can read 49 chapters and wait and see if he changes.. :/ im so bummed this one failed..
May 17, 2018
The Good
-The smutnip is fresh today. Beauty & The Beast inspired romance, featuring gorgeous gigantic hockey player forced to live together with heroine who’s weird and quirky in her own right?
Yes, please and thank you.
- Ares is after my GIF-loving heart.
That sums up my original thoughts on Ares. Weirdly mesmerizing, but that’s about it. Ares Berger, one half of the Berger twins (Brute and Force) is the type of character who pretty much seemed like a meathead in the earlier books. He had little personality, besides his love of gifs (which I was on board with, don’t get me wrong). So, not gonna lie I wasn’t sure how he was going to carry his own romance.
His inner voice though? Lordy, he won me over with his thoughts, his kindness, his sweetness and general awesomeness. A great addition to this ‘verse and I wasn’t sure if Ms. Grant was going to pull it off but she did. He’s definitely among my favorite of her heroes.
-Felicity is an unusual Beauty, that’s for sure.
It’s not every day you read about a ventriloquist heroine, and Felicity’s puppets play a pretty big part in the story. It was a great way to fill the space when you have a hero who essentially doesn’t speak out loud, and it made the time fly by.
The Bad
When you have a lead character who doesn’t speak much if at all, you have to depend on inner monologues, so I get that. Unfortunately, since you have to spend alot of time in their heads, some of that time was spent going over the same points over and over. It’s not overwhelming, but it is noticeable. I also struggled a wee bit with the notion that it’s all fixed once these two get together, since they had been struggling to be seen and be taken seriously and poof it’s gone. I would have loved to see them find some satisfaction within themselves, but eh, I got over it quickly.
Everything in Between
Continues with group of characters met in Mister McHottie and while it would help to have read the earlier books, I do think this can work on its own, since it take a small corner of the ‘verse and expands it. The conflict is resolved easily, the antagonist is convenient with no real personality and the running gag that Felicity gets hit on just by breathing is cute but not revolutionary. It’s low angst, and high on the funny so if that’s what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.
I enjoyed Ares and Felicity’s weirdly wonderful romance and would recommend it, especially if you’re into funny with your Beauty & the Beast-inspired romance. The ‘verse continues to expand and the possibility of more certainly keeps me on the hook. I’d love to get to know more of the hockey players, so if you write it Ms. Grant, I will come...running and read it.
**ARC provided by author for review**
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May 16, 2018
This was my first read of the emotional support monkey, I mean Pippa Grant, and I can honestly say it won't be the last. I loved every moment of Beauty and the Beefcake, from the chapter titled "Ares (aka an ape who just wants to get back on the ice) Grunt" to meeting Loki, the emotional support monkey, along with Felicity who may be one of my favorite characters ever. It might have something to do with her never ending need to fill silence with her many voices and along with her passion for finding the perfect job (hello kettle meet black), I'm just saying she's amazing that's all.
Felicity Murphy never stops talking, she has a very good reason for this, mostly. She's a ventriloquist and even when she doesn't have a puppet attached to her hand she's always practicing; on monkey's, on inanimate objects, on nothing in particular...okay, you get the point. Anyway, Felicity has a problem, actually she has several problems, abundant talking is just one of them. Horrible choices in men might happen to be another, along with job stability and her spririal Gammy, but who's counting? She has bigger things to worry about like her new roommate. Like a huge, super giant, colossal man of a thing new roommate, Ares Berger.
"I'm a freak. A not-normal, talking to herself, career-floating, dick-magnet freak."
Ares Berger hardly says two words in a single day and that's on a good day. He skates, he eats, he plays hockey, he sleeps--repeat. He doesn't need to recite a sonnet to do any of the above. Does he need an emotional support monkey or does the emotional support monkey need him? Oooooh, I've intrigued you I can tell. A giant of a man who has a monkey and not the one that lives in his pants, but a real monkey. (Yes, the jokes are there and they are amazing, trust me.) Moving in with his teammates sister when he injured his ankle wasn't exactly on his to do list, but he didn't exactly put up a fight when Nick dropped him off there either.
"There's way more to Ares than the world give him credit for."
Ares is a giant of a man who is often overlooked for his hulking size and he's grown accustomed to letting people do just that. Felicity has a huge IQ, but has terrible taste in men. With these two living under the same roof they have nowhere to hide. For the first time they are exposed and their mysteries may be uncovered, but will they like what each other finds?
"Just because he's injured and protective and more than a little mysterious, plus solid muscle, doesn't mean I'm interested."
Beauty and the Beefcake is a standalone, but also part of a bigger, puckier world that Pippa created. I loved joining the wonderful world she created and look forward to catching up on everything Pippa very soon.
Felicity Murphy never stops talking, she has a very good reason for this, mostly. She's a ventriloquist and even when she doesn't have a puppet attached to her hand she's always practicing; on monkey's, on inanimate objects, on nothing in particular...okay, you get the point. Anyway, Felicity has a problem, actually she has several problems, abundant talking is just one of them. Horrible choices in men might happen to be another, along with job stability and her spririal Gammy, but who's counting? She has bigger things to worry about like her new roommate. Like a huge, super giant, colossal man of a thing new roommate, Ares Berger.
"I'm a freak. A not-normal, talking to herself, career-floating, dick-magnet freak."
Ares Berger hardly says two words in a single day and that's on a good day. He skates, he eats, he plays hockey, he sleeps--repeat. He doesn't need to recite a sonnet to do any of the above. Does he need an emotional support monkey or does the emotional support monkey need him? Oooooh, I've intrigued you I can tell. A giant of a man who has a monkey and not the one that lives in his pants, but a real monkey. (Yes, the jokes are there and they are amazing, trust me.) Moving in with his teammates sister when he injured his ankle wasn't exactly on his to do list, but he didn't exactly put up a fight when Nick dropped him off there either.
"There's way more to Ares than the world give him credit for."
Ares is a giant of a man who is often overlooked for his hulking size and he's grown accustomed to letting people do just that. Felicity has a huge IQ, but has terrible taste in men. With these two living under the same roof they have nowhere to hide. For the first time they are exposed and their mysteries may be uncovered, but will they like what each other finds?
"Just because he's injured and protective and more than a little mysterious, plus solid muscle, doesn't mean I'm interested."
Beauty and the Beefcake is a standalone, but also part of a bigger, puckier world that Pippa created. I loved joining the wonderful world she created and look forward to catching up on everything Pippa very soon.
November 18, 2025
This was a fever dream
September 12, 2018
DNF no thank you
I didn't think this one would be so bad what with the rating and the blurb but daaaamn. Hero communicates through grunts and in code. How is that attractive idk. The heroine is a whole level of mess on her own. She's a ventriloquist who considers her puppets as family and she talks in her puppets' voices on a day to day basis just chucking it into conversations like it's nobody's business. I guess it's her crutch? Either way, it's bloody freaky. Also the heroine is mad obsessed with the hockey team, mentioned a few times in passing that she has slept with a few hockey players. Not only that but she's trying to earn herself a spot working for the team, she has already been rejected as the team's driver and accounting/marketing person so she's back in school tryna be a physical therapy assistant. SO YEP. So much cringe and eyeroll. Look I'm not even going to mention about the monkey. This book just isn't going to happen for me.
I didn't think this one would be so bad what with the rating and the blurb but daaaamn. Hero communicates through grunts and in code. How is that attractive idk. The heroine is a whole level of mess on her own. She's a ventriloquist who considers her puppets as family and she talks in her puppets' voices on a day to day basis just chucking it into conversations like it's nobody's business. I guess it's her crutch? Either way, it's bloody freaky. Also the heroine is mad obsessed with the hockey team, mentioned a few times in passing that she has slept with a few hockey players. Not only that but she's trying to earn herself a spot working for the team, she has already been rejected as the team's driver and accounting/marketing person so she's back in school tryna be a physical therapy assistant. SO YEP. So much cringe and eyeroll. Look I'm not even going to mention about the monkey. This book just isn't going to happen for me.
January 25, 2023
Do you think the heroine knows a lot of wines aren't vegan? She drinks a lot but there's no mention of her vetting the bottles to ensure they don't use animal products which many affordable wines do.
And come on. The I'm too strong to ask for help shit gets a little old when your ex-boyfriend is stalking you and refuses to give your stuff back after a break up. Be smart and be safe.
Also, the hero owning a monkey is a real bummer. That shit isn't cute. That's a wild animal. He feeds it junk food and chocolate (with the wrapper on) so much it's almost like animal abuse is his personality.
Oh wait. No, it's hockey and being a tough guy who pretends to be stupid so no one "ever gets his heart".
And come on. The I'm too strong to ask for help shit gets a little old when your ex-boyfriend is stalking you and refuses to give your stuff back after a break up. Be smart and be safe.
Also, the hero owning a monkey is a real bummer. That shit isn't cute. That's a wild animal. He feeds it junk food and chocolate (with the wrapper on) so much it's almost like animal abuse is his personality.
Oh wait. No, it's hockey and being a tough guy who pretends to be stupid so no one "ever gets his heart".
May 14, 2018
Pippa Grant has a new fan! This book was so adorable and broke the mold in so many ways! Beauty and the Beefcake is a story of misfits, broken toys and broken hearts. It's also a really great reminder that every pot has it's perfect lid.
Felicity is a genius without a lot of common sense. She never really fit in anywhere, graduating high school at thirteen will do that, so she lives with the characters she's created in her head. She's a ventriloquist whose characters tend to be quite vocal when she's nervous. While entertaining, it tends to garner some strange looks from others. In addition, she has horrible taste in men and those men tend to be tough to scrape off. Her latest in a string of awful boyfriends is stalking her and won't give her stuff back See why she'd rather spend time in her head?
Ares, a monosyllabic, gentle giant named after the god of war, has gone through life with people underestimating him and only really understood by his twin brother. People make the mistake of thinking this nearly seven foot enforcer is dumb but he simply doesn't have a lot to say. Hockey is his life, all he's ever been good at and all he's ever wanted. He is a keen observer, a watcher, a listener and that gives him incredible perspective. After all, words are only as good as the man who uses them.
These two together were unbelievable. I honestly didn't think I'd like them, especially Felicity as I'm not a fan of ventriliquism (stemming I'm sure from an intense dislike of dolls) but they were quirky without being weird incredibly endearing and utterly adorable, especially when you find out why they communicate the way they do. Ares, oh Ares, he presented a challenge for the author I'm sure, I mean how do you write a dual POV for someone who only speaks in grunts? He reminded me of the late Andre the Giant, who rarely spoke but you could see something in his eyes that said he knew more about life than you do, and who by all accounts, was unbelievably kind. I adored Ares (and Loki!).
This book was a slow build but it was so perfect for this couple and don't worry, when the sparks finally fly, they were like a house on fire. The side cast of characters were also very entertaining and enough to have me picking up the other books in the series. Beauty and the Beefcake was a great book full of such multifactered characters that I know I'll be rereading over and over. It was awesome and I can't wait to devour more by this author.
Felicity is a genius without a lot of common sense. She never really fit in anywhere, graduating high school at thirteen will do that, so she lives with the characters she's created in her head. She's a ventriloquist whose characters tend to be quite vocal when she's nervous. While entertaining, it tends to garner some strange looks from others. In addition, she has horrible taste in men and those men tend to be tough to scrape off. Her latest in a string of awful boyfriends is stalking her and won't give her stuff back See why she'd rather spend time in her head?
Ares, a monosyllabic, gentle giant named after the god of war, has gone through life with people underestimating him and only really understood by his twin brother. People make the mistake of thinking this nearly seven foot enforcer is dumb but he simply doesn't have a lot to say. Hockey is his life, all he's ever been good at and all he's ever wanted. He is a keen observer, a watcher, a listener and that gives him incredible perspective. After all, words are only as good as the man who uses them.
These two together were unbelievable. I honestly didn't think I'd like them, especially Felicity as I'm not a fan of ventriliquism (stemming I'm sure from an intense dislike of dolls) but they were quirky without being weird incredibly endearing and utterly adorable, especially when you find out why they communicate the way they do. Ares, oh Ares, he presented a challenge for the author I'm sure, I mean how do you write a dual POV for someone who only speaks in grunts? He reminded me of the late Andre the Giant, who rarely spoke but you could see something in his eyes that said he knew more about life than you do, and who by all accounts, was unbelievably kind. I adored Ares (and Loki!).
This book was a slow build but it was so perfect for this couple and don't worry, when the sparks finally fly, they were like a house on fire. The side cast of characters were also very entertaining and enough to have me picking up the other books in the series. Beauty and the Beefcake was a great book full of such multifactered characters that I know I'll be rereading over and over. It was awesome and I can't wait to devour more by this author.
May 16, 2018
I’m finally where I’m supposed to be. Where I never thought I’d find. A home. For my heart.”
If I told you I wanted you to write a story where the heroine speaks in multiple voices and the hero barely speaks at all, you’d probably think I was nuts. And if I then added that you had to throw in a pet monkey, a pile of rain-soaked cookies printed with genitals, and that you needed to make it one of the most romantic and touching books of the year, you’d most likely have me committed. Well, I can’t comment on author Pippa Grant’s mental stability, but I will say that THIS IS THAT BOOK. And I don’t know how she does it, because I swear after every book of hers, I think, well, this one can’t be topped. And yet she continues to prove me wrong.
Felicity Murphy is brilliant. She has an IQ off the charts, multiple degrees and even more talents. But she’s also got about 99 problems. And ex-boyfriends, the ghost of her Gammy, her inability to keep a job and an overbearing older brother are only four of them. One of said sibling’s NHL teammates moving in with her? Just add it to the list.
Ares Berger is a force. No, like, literally, he’s actually The Force. That’s his NHL nickname. And on the ice, he’s silent, but deadly. Emphasis on the silent. His twin, Zeus, has always done the talking for him. But now they’re on separate teams, and even worse, he’s out for weeks with an injury. His world is completely off its axis. So when Nick Murphy asks him for a favor, he gives his signature grunt and moves in to protect Murphy’s sister Felicity from the insane string of exes she can’t seem to shake. I mean, things are already upside-down for him. They couldn’t possibly get crazier, right? Wrong.
This story will bring you large doses of Pippa’s over the top hilarity, as you’d expect. But what you might not be counting on? Is how often you will tear up while reading this book. From Ares’ sweet and gentle personality and heartbreaking backstory, to Felicity’s desire to just be accepted for who she is and what she loves, these two characters absolutely stole my heart. A little boy band karaoke never hurts, either. And while I quite often snorted with laughter, I also spent just as much time dabbing at my eyes over this wonderfully written love story about a beast, his beauty and their monkey.
If I told you I wanted you to write a story where the heroine speaks in multiple voices and the hero barely speaks at all, you’d probably think I was nuts. And if I then added that you had to throw in a pet monkey, a pile of rain-soaked cookies printed with genitals, and that you needed to make it one of the most romantic and touching books of the year, you’d most likely have me committed. Well, I can’t comment on author Pippa Grant’s mental stability, but I will say that THIS IS THAT BOOK. And I don’t know how she does it, because I swear after every book of hers, I think, well, this one can’t be topped. And yet she continues to prove me wrong.
Felicity Murphy is brilliant. She has an IQ off the charts, multiple degrees and even more talents. But she’s also got about 99 problems. And ex-boyfriends, the ghost of her Gammy, her inability to keep a job and an overbearing older brother are only four of them. One of said sibling’s NHL teammates moving in with her? Just add it to the list.
Ares Berger is a force. No, like, literally, he’s actually The Force. That’s his NHL nickname. And on the ice, he’s silent, but deadly. Emphasis on the silent. His twin, Zeus, has always done the talking for him. But now they’re on separate teams, and even worse, he’s out for weeks with an injury. His world is completely off its axis. So when Nick Murphy asks him for a favor, he gives his signature grunt and moves in to protect Murphy’s sister Felicity from the insane string of exes she can’t seem to shake. I mean, things are already upside-down for him. They couldn’t possibly get crazier, right? Wrong.
This story will bring you large doses of Pippa’s over the top hilarity, as you’d expect. But what you might not be counting on? Is how often you will tear up while reading this book. From Ares’ sweet and gentle personality and heartbreaking backstory, to Felicity’s desire to just be accepted for who she is and what she loves, these two characters absolutely stole my heart. A little boy band karaoke never hurts, either. And while I quite often snorted with laughter, I also spent just as much time dabbing at my eyes over this wonderfully written love story about a beast, his beauty and their monkey.
May 9, 2018
"Words are only as good as the man that uses them." - Ares
What a fabulous introduction to a new to me author. That quote sums up this whole beautiful, funny story.
This is a stand alone, but I found the secondary characters so amazing, I am going to go and look for her past books so I can read more about them and hope she will write about the others that don't have a full story yet.
This story of Felicity and Ares. Both wouldn't be considered "normal" peeps but drawing from one of my favorite movie quotes, "Normal is a setting on a dryer", normal is relative and for Felicity and Ares they are "normal" and perfect for each other!
Felicity is quirky, she is spunky and she has horrible taste in men (before Ares of course). She is beyond intelligent, and academic genius but lacks a bit in the common sense department. But all that makes for a great character, I absolutely loved her! Even at my age, (waaayy past 27) I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up and it made me relate to Felicity even more!
Ares, oh my! Even though he is named after the god of war, he has the most gentle soul. He is a man of very few words and not a lot of people really see him. But Felicity does and it's amazing.
There chemistry is off the charts, it builds slow and steady and when they finally give into their feelings for each other it is so white hot and swoony!
This book had all the makings of a great romantic comedy! It is definitely a must read. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this and was introduced to the fantastic writing of Pippa! You have a new fangirl in me!
What a fabulous introduction to a new to me author. That quote sums up this whole beautiful, funny story.
This is a stand alone, but I found the secondary characters so amazing, I am going to go and look for her past books so I can read more about them and hope she will write about the others that don't have a full story yet.
This story of Felicity and Ares. Both wouldn't be considered "normal" peeps but drawing from one of my favorite movie quotes, "Normal is a setting on a dryer", normal is relative and for Felicity and Ares they are "normal" and perfect for each other!
Felicity is quirky, she is spunky and she has horrible taste in men (before Ares of course). She is beyond intelligent, and academic genius but lacks a bit in the common sense department. But all that makes for a great character, I absolutely loved her! Even at my age, (waaayy past 27) I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up and it made me relate to Felicity even more!
Ares, oh my! Even though he is named after the god of war, he has the most gentle soul. He is a man of very few words and not a lot of people really see him. But Felicity does and it's amazing.
There chemistry is off the charts, it builds slow and steady and when they finally give into their feelings for each other it is so white hot and swoony!
This book had all the makings of a great romantic comedy! It is definitely a must read. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this and was introduced to the fantastic writing of Pippa! You have a new fangirl in me!
May 14, 2018
Felicity is getting out of a crazy breakup with another crazy, stalking ex. She lives in her Grammy’s house with her Grammy’s ghost. Her brother, Nick, plays hockey and has had the task of protecting his baby sister his whole life. What better way to protect her than to ask a friend to move in with her?
Ares is also a hockey player known mostly for his size and one-word random answers. He is currently on the IR list and is itching to get back out on the ice. He is such a loyal friend. He doesn’t hesitate when Nick asks him to move in with Felicity. Will Felicity get him to open up more and come out of his shell, or will her ability to only attract crazy people ring true?
Felicity is an absolutely, hilarious heroine. Her multiple personalities from being a ventriloquist made such a unique twist to the book. It was so much fun to see her interact with herself through multiple voices.
Areas has always been misunderstood. People cater to him because they think he is dumb. Ares has no intentions of correcting them because why change something that works in his favor? Even though he can talk, he doesn’t. He says just enough to get his point across.
The way these two characters helped each other grow and come out of their shell was so heartwarming. They became their true selves and showed more of their real personalities by the end of the book.
This was another amazing, hilarious book by Pippa Grant! I cannot wait to see if she continues this series.
-An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
Ares is also a hockey player known mostly for his size and one-word random answers. He is currently on the IR list and is itching to get back out on the ice. He is such a loyal friend. He doesn’t hesitate when Nick asks him to move in with Felicity. Will Felicity get him to open up more and come out of his shell, or will her ability to only attract crazy people ring true?
Felicity is an absolutely, hilarious heroine. Her multiple personalities from being a ventriloquist made such a unique twist to the book. It was so much fun to see her interact with herself through multiple voices.
Areas has always been misunderstood. People cater to him because they think he is dumb. Ares has no intentions of correcting them because why change something that works in his favor? Even though he can talk, he doesn’t. He says just enough to get his point across.
The way these two characters helped each other grow and come out of their shell was so heartwarming. They became their true selves and showed more of their real personalities by the end of the book.
This was another amazing, hilarious book by Pippa Grant! I cannot wait to see if she continues this series.
-An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
May 24, 2018
This book was amazing! I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, as well as this being my first one of Pippa Grant’s. It was funny, adorable, steamy...
Both characters have their quirks and made them really stand out to me as a reader of romance. I definitely fell hard & fast for Ares. This love story is unique. Definitely recommend if you’re in the romcom mood.
I’ll definitely be checking out the previous books to learn more about the gang.
Both characters have their quirks and made them really stand out to me as a reader of romance. I definitely fell hard & fast for Ares. This love story is unique. Definitely recommend if you’re in the romcom mood.
I’ll definitely be checking out the previous books to learn more about the gang.
May 23, 2018
Unpopular opinion alert:
If you really love over the top silly slapstick humor Pippa's your girl. If you've never read her give her a try, honestly, do it!
But as for me? I'm breaking up. I tried but we just don't click. Pippa it's not you it's me.
Felicity was annoying and her come to Jesus moment still doesn't convince me she's with Ares for more than his body. She should be, he's great but I just didn't feel it. Maybe it's because she was too ridiculous for me to take seriously. Though this is the first time I've read a hockey romance (and yeah, I've read quite a few) with a "Puck Bunny" for a heroine so fist bump for originality.
If you really love over the top silly slapstick humor Pippa's your girl. If you've never read her give her a try, honestly, do it!
But as for me? I'm breaking up. I tried but we just don't click. Pippa it's not you it's me.
Felicity was annoying and her come to Jesus moment still doesn't convince me she's with Ares for more than his body. She should be, he's great but I just didn't feel it. Maybe it's because she was too ridiculous for me to take seriously. Though this is the first time I've read a hockey romance (and yeah, I've read quite a few) with a "Puck Bunny" for a heroine so fist bump for originality.
June 26, 2018
Not sure about this one...
...but from the first 5% I managed to wade through, I'm assuming it involves several 14 year old teenagers.
Extremely juvenile, and stupid to a fault, this is way too childish, and downright goofy for me.
Certainly not in an interesting way that makes me want to keep reading. For me? A definite 'no'.
...but from the first 5% I managed to wade through, I'm assuming it involves several 14 year old teenagers.
Extremely juvenile, and stupid to a fault, this is way too childish, and downright goofy for me.
Certainly not in an interesting way that makes me want to keep reading. For me? A definite 'no'.
May 7, 2018
Perfection! It is a rainbow of funny, heartwarming, romantic, sweet and hot as hell! Felicity and Ares characters are relatable and the emotions are palatable. You will feel elated and hungover at the conclusion of the story. This book is the next installment in the hilarious Berger family. Ares is an over the top hockey hunk, who doesn’t have much to say, but is smarter than most people give him credit for. Felicity is brilliant, but socially awkward. When Ares moves in as a favor to her brother, he insists that he must ignore the attraction that he feels towards Felicity. However, she is the first woman to really see inside him and he can’t help but find her irresistible. Felicity is brilliant, funny, and attracts men like flies. However, she can’t seem to find her place in the world. She hides behind her puppets. Then Ares comes along and is the first person to understand who she really is, and what she is afraid of. They can only resist each other for so long. Especially with Grammy’s ghost and Loki the monkey doing their part in getting them together. The story is chocked full of hilarious antics and silly encounters. The swoon factor will have your eyes sprouting tears. This is a must read, can’t live without it kind of book. 500 stars is my rating for this one!
August 20, 2021
Had me from the first paragraph twist on P&P:
“It is a falsehood universally spread across the globe that a single woman in possession of a house, a job—sort of—and boobs must be in want of a dickhead to fuck with her brain.”
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with this author and series, but for all my review blasting of what’s wrong with it all, I still keep reading, and that’s not my MO. There’s just something very addictive about the Copper Valley group as a whole, even if the author won’t cooperate and write her damn books like I think they should go lol. . *Shakes Head To A Smile*
Anyway, to me, silent giant Ares has been the most interesting character in the Copper Valley world. Not in that swoon way, but in a curious WTF kind of way. I mean ask him if he likes coffee and he replies with ”corn.” He’s a monkey whisper. He somehow always has just the right answer for his friends, even if it’s a gif lol. In the other books, you just know there’s soooooo much more to him.
Then, I opened his first POV chapter (technically his second ;)) … and I’m blown away at what’s been going on in that head seven-foot in the air.
I have a permanent smile carved into my face thanks to Ares, and… yes, I am swooning now. I want an Ares. His character is comical, but he’s also going to touch your heart and pull every string. It’s sad not to be seen beyond the surface and to have assumptions rule how people treat you. I just adore him. Very special character.
Word of advice, though, I don’t think readers will FULLY appreciate Ares story without reading his brother’s and Prince Manning’s stories (books 1&2.) I didn’t care for book one at all, and book two was just okay. Still, I’m so glad I read them for Ares’s part in those stories - to understand both Ares the man and other elements like the monkey you really need to witness his role in the lives of the previous books.
The FMC, Felicity, is a fruitcake turnover, and all her OTT is so perfect for Ares:
“Ares doesn’t just give intense, concentrated glares. He gives killer grins too. Holy puppets. I think my clit just did a backflip.”
It’s not just comedy and cuteness, though. This is about finding that person who looks past the surface, gets you, accepts you, and knows when to push and when to stand aside.
“The right three words have more impact than ten thousand wrong words”
Indeed!
One question for the author. WTF is this….
“Off season, I hang with Zeus, and we hook up with chicks he finds for us. Just like old times.”
Surely, this wasn’t meant to imply Zeus is cheating?
Why 3 1/2 stars?
It’s the same complaint I have with all of this author’s books. She starts strong and finishes strong, but that middle mark is rough riding. There’s too much repetitive inner monologue and too much time spent doing nothing atop the mountain of the story. I also think the FMCs puppet action lost some of its humor in being overused OTT.
“It is a falsehood universally spread across the globe that a single woman in possession of a house, a job—sort of—and boobs must be in want of a dickhead to fuck with her brain.”
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with this author and series, but for all my review blasting of what’s wrong with it all, I still keep reading, and that’s not my MO. There’s just something very addictive about the Copper Valley group as a whole, even if the author won’t cooperate and write her damn books like I think they should go lol. . *Shakes Head To A Smile*
Anyway, to me, silent giant Ares has been the most interesting character in the Copper Valley world. Not in that swoon way, but in a curious WTF kind of way. I mean ask him if he likes coffee and he replies with ”corn.” He’s a monkey whisper. He somehow always has just the right answer for his friends, even if it’s a gif lol. In the other books, you just know there’s soooooo much more to him.
Then, I opened his first POV chapter (technically his second ;)) … and I’m blown away at what’s been going on in that head seven-foot in the air.
I have a permanent smile carved into my face thanks to Ares, and… yes, I am swooning now. I want an Ares. His character is comical, but he’s also going to touch your heart and pull every string. It’s sad not to be seen beyond the surface and to have assumptions rule how people treat you. I just adore him. Very special character.
Word of advice, though, I don’t think readers will FULLY appreciate Ares story without reading his brother’s and Prince Manning’s stories (books 1&2.) I didn’t care for book one at all, and book two was just okay. Still, I’m so glad I read them for Ares’s part in those stories - to understand both Ares the man and other elements like the monkey you really need to witness his role in the lives of the previous books.
The FMC, Felicity, is a fruitcake turnover, and all her OTT is so perfect for Ares:
“Ares doesn’t just give intense, concentrated glares. He gives killer grins too. Holy puppets. I think my clit just did a backflip.”
It’s not just comedy and cuteness, though. This is about finding that person who looks past the surface, gets you, accepts you, and knows when to push and when to stand aside.
“The right three words have more impact than ten thousand wrong words”
Indeed!
One question for the author. WTF is this….
“Off season, I hang with Zeus, and we hook up with chicks he finds for us. Just like old times.”
Surely, this wasn’t meant to imply Zeus is cheating?
Why 3 1/2 stars?
It’s the same complaint I have with all of this author’s books. She starts strong and finishes strong, but that middle mark is rough riding. There’s too much repetitive inner monologue and too much time spent doing nothing atop the mountain of the story. I also think the FMCs puppet action lost some of its humor in being overused OTT.
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