Review: Stand Your Ground by Kandi Steiner

October 24, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

STAND YOUR GROUND
Series: Kings of the Ice #5
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: October 24, 2025

I wrote up the contract myself.
Legally binding. Crystal clear.
No strings. No feelings.
Just sex — and two million dollars in exchange for my time and expertise.

Carter Fabri may be Tampa Bay’s newest rising star, but off the ice, he’s all Bambi eyes and inexperience. He’s a virgin in desperate need of lessons in dominance, seduction, and everything in between.

And I happen to be just the woman to teach him.

I don’t need his money.
But I do need what it can give me.

I’m thirty-two, cut off from my family, and one bill away from drowning in student debt. The fantasy I’ve built around my lifestyle is getting harder to maintain. This pay day would secure the lifestyle I’ve worked too hard to let slip through my fingers and finally give me the chance to save for something I’ve always wanted — something I’ve never told anyone about.

So, I take Carter on as my student. I lay out every rule, every boundary, every carefully controlled term of our arrangement.

What I don’t plan for is how quickly he’d catch on — or how much I’d enjoy letting him take the reins.

This was supposed to be a lesson in power.
But somewhere along the way, I stopped being the one in charge.

I thought I could keep my heart out of it.
I thought I’d accounted for every risk.
But some consequences you can’t predict — no matter how carefully you draft the terms.

AMAZON

We were exact opposites; her dominant and me submissive, her confident and me insecure, her living carefree while I struggled to feel adequate every day I woke up.

My whole heart right now. Carter Fabri stole it and I never want it back!

Livia Young was elite in every way, and I’d been ruined from the first sight of her.

Would you believe me when I tell you that this was the book I was least looking forward and almost decided to skip on? I know, I’m judging my own self right now. But in my defense, my fictional tastes tend to gravitate towards dominant men. I love them possessive, dominant, cocky, and a little mean. And Carter? He’s the golden retriever that I never saw coming. So while a Domme FMC with a submissive MMC isn’t usually my cuppa, something about this blurb just called to me. And I am so glad that I gave it a shot because it just became one of my favorite books in the series.

Livia Young was impossible not to love. I. love a strong and fierce FMC, and this woman was a true bad b*tch. A woman who made an amazing career for herself, was confident, and had no qualms about taking what she wants when it came to her sexuality. So was it any wonder that inexperienced and bumbling Carter was infatuated with her.

Haven’t you figured it out yet?” I leaned in, my voice low and steady. “I’ll give you anything you ask for.”

And while golden retriever MMCs aren’t usually my thing, I fell so hard for Carter and his insecurities. And there’s just something about an eager to please virgin MMCs, especially when said MMC is the rising star in the NHL. I loved his quirkiness, his insecurities, his honesty, and his pining. GOD did I love his pining.

Carter goes to Liv with an unorthodox proposal; to teach him how to be confident and to be a rockstar in the bedroom. Enter a mutually beneficial contract for them both that doesn’t quite stay as emotionless as Liv hopes.

The more I learned about Livia, the more I realized that still waters run deep with her. My heart broke for her in parts but I absolutely loved the way that Carter was there for her. He’s so supportive of her and notices her every quirk, even those that her closest friends may miss. I loved the way that he knew her.

I was in love with Livia Young. And I had no fucking clue how to survive it.

Their chemistry was absolutely incendiary and this may have been one of the spiciest books in the series. Because those spicy lessons of theirs? HOLY OVARIES on fire batman!

I adored this book. And the preview into the next one? I AM FERAL. FERAL. I need it!

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Review: Test The Ice by S.J. Sylvis

October 23, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

RUSH THE EDGE
Series: Blue Devils Hockey #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: October 23, 2025

A flirty, fake-engagement, single-mom, hockey romance by Amazon Top 50 and USA Today Bestselling Author S.J. Sylvis

I swore off men the second I trusted the wrong guy and ended up pregnant by a wealthy playboy. I was ready to prove I didn’t need him–or anyone else.

At least, until Malaki Young, Chicago’s hottest pro hockey star, slid into the backseat of my car and proved me wrong.

He’s relentless on and off the ice. Especially when it comes to pursing me. Not to mention his charming smirk and annoyingly smooth one-liners have me testing the ice and thawing every boundary I swore I’d never cross again.

But my ex is out for revenge… and Malaki makes an offer I never saw coming: a fake engagement.

One oversized diamond. One perfectly fabricated love story. One mission: convince the world–and my revenge driven ex–that this single mom just landed one of Chicago’s most sought-after bachelors.

Malaki swears it’s just pretend. But the deeper we get, the harder it is to tell where the lies end and we begin. And I can’t help wondering how long before the ice beneath us gives way.

AMAZON 

The last thing I think about before falling asleep myself is how on earth can I get this girl to be my real fiancée, instead of my fake one?

This was, hands down, my absolute favorite book in this series. And considering I love this series so much, that’s saying something. But the giddiness that I felt reading Malaki and Reese’s story simply cannot be matched. And Malaki Young just shot up on my top five favorite MMCs list. The man was PERFECTION.

…I’m willing to give her whatever she asks for. Money? It’s hers. My bed? As long as she doesn’t mind sharing. My last name? Let’s make it official.

If you love a fake dating trope, this is easily one of my favorites. Reese is a single mom who is barely making ends meet by driving an uber at night. If you’ve read Rush the Edge, then you’d remember Reese and the way she quickly became besties with Daisy. Well now you get to see her through Malaki’s eyes, and the man was instantly enraptured with her the first time he laid eyes on her. And this reader? WAS SO HERE FOR IT.

My pretty Uber driver with secrets that she’s unwilling to spill is doing nothing but tempting me by running off like that. She’s about to find out the hard way that I’m relentless.

The way that Malaki relentlessly pursued Reese, even though she fought him at every turn. Reese was burned by her ex and father of her baby and to say that the ex was insufferable was an understatement. I have never wanted a secondary character to get hit by a bus more. Alas, he lives, but he does get what’s coming to him. But I digress.

The romance between Reese and Malaki was very much a slow burn, but the chemistry between them felt electric. I loved their banter and their dialogue made my whole heart happy. Malaki gives total golden retriever vibes, and I loved the way he was always there for Reese. And don’t even get me started on his connections with her adorable daughter. But did I mention his chemistry with Reese?

You’re insane.”
“I’m not insane,” he argues. “I’m persistent.”
“You mean annoying,” I quip.
“Charming.”
“Irritating.”
“Handsome.” I can’t help but laugh.
He shows me his heart-stopping smile. “I’m funny too.”

Reese had it tough growing up, so she definitely struggles with Malaki’s attention. She’s fierce and strong, but there’s also this layer of vulnerability to her that I connected with. But nothing made me happier than the way Malaki never shied away from his feelings and his interest.

Hey, fiancée.”
Reese, to my surprise, smiles. “Are you ever going to stop calling me that?”
I grin. “Yes. When we get married, I’ll just start calling you wife.”

The romance was everything. EVERYTHING. And the story was sheer perfection. I loved Reese’s adorable daughter and I also loved her close relationship with her sister (who I’m hoping get a story next).

If you’re looking for a swoon, steamy, and absolutely unputdownable romance with an MMC who would move mountains for his woman, then look no further. This series and this book is not to be missed!

S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and pets! She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book! 

Connect with S.J. Sylvis

Website | https://www.sjsylvis.com/

Goodreads | https://bit.ly/40mP8yW

Amazon | https://amzn.to/40riM5R

Facebook | https://bit.ly/3JT0SUh

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Review: Wicked Ends by Mila Kane

August 20, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

WICKED ENDS
Series: Hellions of Hade Harbor Book 4
Author: Mila Kane
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult Romance
Release Date: August 20, 2025

My class… His rules.
Hade Harbor was supposed to be my clean slate–a quiet, hockey-obsessed Maine town where I could disappear.
Then I walked into my first lecture and saw him.
The bartender from last night.
The one I should’ve never touched.
Marcus Bailey isn’t just another college jock–he’s an Ice God.
Goalie for the Hellions. Arrogant. Vicious. Addicted to winning.
And now? He’s set his sights on me.
He’s not interested in boundaries. Not when he could break them.
Not when he could break me.
He could have me fired. Exposed. Ruined.
And he knows it.
Every rule I make, he shatters.
Every line I draw, he crosses.
Because Marcus doesn’t want obedience. He wants obsession.
And I’m exactly what he craves.
But my past isn’t finished with me.
It’s dangerous, it’s catching up, and when it hits–I won’t be the only one destroyed.

AMAZON

Call me Marcus, Professor… like you did the night we met, or better still…” He leaned in and ran his nose up the side of my cheek, breathing in the smell of my skin. “Scream it.”

I just knew Marcus would be my favorite in this series so far, and UGH, I was so right. I loved his feral obsessive and possessive self.

What? What do you want?” I rushed out.
He smiled, and there was something dark and wicked in it. “Nothing too strenuous… just you, whenever and however I want you.”

I love a forbidden trope, and a student/teacher one always hits the spot. There is also the small age gap with Aria being 25 to Marcus’s 20. Though from the very beginning, it’s very clear who the power belongs to in this dynamic and it very much is NOT Aria.

Aria comes to Hade Harbor in the hopes of a chance and an adjust professor job gives her just that; a chance to start over. But one night throws a heck of a wrench in her plans when she becomes the obsession of a man she thought she’d never see again. The sexy bartender from what was meant to be a quiet way to celebrate her 25th bday is a student in her new class and the goalie of the Hellions hockey team.

I was immediately intrigued by Marcus because of his ties to the MC and his brother being at the helm. I also really hope we get his brother’s book soon because NEED. But I digress. Marcus’s childhood had been everything but idyllic with his father now in jail and his brother at the helm of a dangerous MC. I am so curious about the story of the MC because just being on the periphery of it was gritty enough. But I digress again.

Marcus is immediately obsessed with Aria, especially since she’s determined to run from him at every turn. Aria is clearly hiding a dark secret and with every layer that gets peeled back from that, the more I was glued to the pages. Admittedly Aria’s moral compass was a bit too much at times with her feeling like she was taking advantage of Marcus where it was clear as day who was running circles around who. But I also just gobbled up their dynamic so it didn’t bother me much.

I devoured this book in one sitting and this may just be my favorite installment in this series yet! I can’t wait for the next book especially with the preview we get. That trope?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I need it. But if you’re looking for a deliciously dark hockey romance with an obsessed MMC with a dirty mouth, look no further!

 

I’m obsessed with cats, coffee, and anti-heroes just the right side of insane.

I write dark and dirty romance with the alpha-holes of your most filthy nightmares.

While I like my heroes obsessed and powerful, I like my heroines smart and independent. My headstrong, capable women will bring their own personal demons to their knees, and capture their hearts at the same time.

I only write SAFE stories, there is never a place for another woman in my heroes sights, once he’s caught the scent of the heroine, and there will always be, no matter how dark and twisted the story might be… a HEA guarantee xx

 

Connect with Mila

Website | https://www.milakane.com/

Amazon | https://amzn.to/44E1nt6

Facebook | www.facebook.com/MilaKanewrites

Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/3NOGG6C

Instagram | www.instagram.com/milakanebooks/

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Pinterest | www.pinterest.co.uk/MilaKaneWrites/

 


 

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Review: Rush The Edge by SJ Sylvis

June 4, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

RUSH THE EDGE
Series: Blue Devils Hockey #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: May 22, 2025

A brother’s best friend, enemies-to-lovers, hockey romance by Amazon Top 50 and USA Today bestselling author, S.J. Sylvis.

I never would have moved to Chicago, if I had known he would be there.

Moving to a brand new city to share an apartment with my older brother was bad enough.

Becoming neighbors with Kane Barlow, my brother’s arrogant pro-hockey-playing best friend, was just the cherry on top of the dumpster fire my life has become.

Did I mention that Kane is also the guy I had a secret fling with years ago?

I haven’t seen him since and let’s just say his icy glares and frigid demeanor are reason enough for me to get my own place.

Little does he know, I’m in Chicago for a reason that has nothing to do with him. So what if his snide remarks and attempts to get under my skin are wildly entertaining? I came here for stability – not distractions, and definitely not the kind with infuriating smirks.

But the more we clash, the more the tension between us shifts. His icy glares turn into heated glances, and our aversion to being around each other quickly morphs into secret trysts and spicy moments we swore we didn’t want.

The line between love and hate is razor-thin – and this time, we’re both rushing towards the edge.

AMAZON 

She was the girl I was never supposed to look at, let alone touch. Except, I did, and I haven’t been the same since.

Know what I love more than a second chance romance? A second chance romance written by SJ Sylvis. I knew I would fall for Kane the second he made an appearance as the hothead secondary character in Play the Game. Then we got a peak into layers in Skate the Line but nothing compares to being in his head and finally understanding what makes him tick.

Kane fell fast and hard for his best friend’s sister, Daisy, back when they were teenagers. But then she broke his heart and he’s spent years trying to erase his feelings. When suddenly the blast from his past is not only back in his life but living with her brother who just so happens to be Kane’s neighbor, he quickly finds out that feelings, though tainted by anger and resentment, are still there.

God, I’ve missed you.” Such a bitter truth.
“No you haven’t,” she says quietly.
“I have,” I argue. “But I hate myself for it.”

The push and pull between these two almost drove me to the brink. I loved it as much as I wanted to shake them both in parts. Kane and Daisy are equally stubborn so obviously each gives as good as they get. The chemistry was sizzling and the slow burn definitely notched it up a point. But when they finally give in? INCENDIARY! I also loved the way he would take care of Daisy, especially after he learns about her condition.

Addiction comes in all forms, and mine is her.

My only quibble is that I wish Kane got a bit more closure with his mom but it was still satisfying so I can’t complain much.

If you’re looking for a deliciously dirty hockey player who still pines the girl he never got over, a friends to lovers to enemies back to lovers, and lots of sizzle in between, definitely check this one out.

S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and pets! She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book! 

Connect with S.J. Sylvis

Website | https://www.sjsylvis.com/

Goodreads | https://bit.ly/40mP8yW

Amazon | https://amzn.to/40riM5R

Facebook | https://bit.ly/3JT0SUh

Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/42pdvhj

Instagram | https://bit.ly/3lvTcOt

TikTok | https://bit.ly/42se4Xv

Bookbub | https://bit.ly/3lwbyiq

Pinterest | https://bit.ly/402AVaH

Newsletter | https://subscribepage.io/cRYT3U

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Review: Beautiful Venom by Rina Kent

June 3, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

 

BEAUTIFUL VENOM
Series: Vipers #1
Author: Rina Kent
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: May 27, 2025

From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Rina Kent comes a sizzling dark hockey romance set in a new glamorous secret world.

In a den of vipers, revenge is the deadliest venom.

They shattered my world; now, I’ll bring down theirs.
The problem? I have virtually no way to trace the puppet master.
My only lead: The Vipers.
An elite college hockey team that rules the ice—and the shadows beyond it.
To infiltrate their secret society, I set my sights on their weakest link.
Kane Davenport.
The charismatic captain and the lone green flag in a nest of serpents.
But too late, I realize I’ve enticed the most venomous snake.
Kane’s friendly façade hides a predator more dangerous than I imagined.
He quickly unveils the monster lurking beneath the surface.
A monster who lured me in only to trap me in a lethal game with no escape.


This book marks the beginning of a new chapter in the #Rinaverse. No other book should be read before this.

AMAZON

You’re a little rebellious wildflower that thinks it can survive anywhere. But guess what? I’m your winter, Dahlia. No flower can survive winter. Not even wildflowers.”


Oh how I’ve been waiting for this one! The anticipation, the finger licking anticipation I tell ya! And it was worth every second of the wait. Because Kane Davenport was the feral level of unhinged that I was immediately obsessed with. And Dahlia Thorne was the perfect ying to his uber possessive yang which I was so here for.

The Vipers introduces a set of all new characters that I’m super excited for. And if you’ve read Kiss the Villain, then you’ll definitely appreciate the crossover here. If you haven’t read that book yet, no worries, because this is the start of a new series. However, you may appreciate it that much more if you’ve met Kane’s uncle in that book. But I digress.

If you’re into the secret society trope like me, this is pure trope candy. Kane, along with his two best friends and fellow hockey teammates are all founding members of the Vendor society. A society that Dahlia recognizes by their rings. Dahlia is on a mission revenge and Kane and the Vencor society are her only in for answers to what happened to her foster sister. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to get into their space, even sign a deal with the devil.

You really should’ve run away while you had the chance. Welcome to hell, Dahlia.”

Kane Davenport is next level unhinged with a splash of sadistic tendencies and a taste for the type of brutality that most women run from. But to both of their surprise, Dahlia gets off on his brand of pain. These two were absolutely feral together. I loved that as hard as Kane pushes, Dahlia pushes right back. This girl has a backbone, even if it does land her in every crosshair she can find in the process.

The story was absolutely addictive and as much as I loved Kane and Dahlia, I was desperate for more insight into Kane’s two best friends; Jude and Preston. You just know their books will be good, especially when you find out who their books are with. But I won’t spoil that for you.

This gave me the perfect hit of Rinaverse I was craving while still leaving me desperate for more. The ending and the epilogues were perfect with giving us just the right amount of answers while still leaving some unanswered for the next book. And I for one am desperately anticipating Jude’s book after the preview in this one.

If you’re a fan of dark romance with hockey and secret society and an absolutely UNHINGED and uber possessive MMC, look no further! Welcome to your next addiction!

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Review: Heartless Game by Jo Brenner

May 13, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

HEARTLESS GAME
Series: Kings of Reina University #2
Author: Jo Brennar
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: April 27, 2025

The hottest hockey player at Reina U has dark plans for me.

Everyone on campus loves Isaac Jones. The gorgeous, dimple-cheeked charmer can do no wrong in the public’s eyes.

But they don’t know what I do.

I know the truth about his violent past. Exposing his real identity and his family’s crimes won’t just help me graduate with a journalism degree—it will save my mother’s life.

When Isaac discovers I’m writing an article that will ruin his hockey dreams and destroy his family, he’ll do anything to bury it—unleashing his deepest, darkest, most depraved desires on me.

Twisted battles in the locker room.
Wickedness on the ice.
Cruelty to keep my mouth shut.

The worst part? I’m starting to fall for him, even as I fight back.

And I’m not sure who will win our heartless game.

Heartless Game is a standalone romance in the Kings of Reina University series, and can be read independently of the others. It contains several dark themes that some readers may be sensitive to. For more information, please visit the author’s website at jobrenner dot com.

AMAZON

When I was done with Tovah Lewis, she’d be nothing more than a broken shell. And I’d be free, no longer haunted by her face, her voice, her goddamned scent.


After first discovering Jo Brenner with Brutal Game, I was itching to get my hands on Isaac and Tovah’s book. If you know me then you know that I love a spicy dark romance full of trigger warnings and a walking red flag of an MMC. And this certainly delivered on that. Isaac may seem like the more down to earth guy of the bunch compared to Jack, but boy did he give Jack a run for his money. This man was toxic with a capital T, jealous, possessive, and with a penchant for the kinky stuff. So of course I loved him.

Tovah, while I enjoyed her character, never fully clicked for me. I can’t put my finger on what it was exactly, but she frustrated me more often than not. And while I loved that she gave as good as she got, I also found that she gave in too easily to Isaac at times where I wanted her to make him crawl for some of the stunts that he pulls. One in particular was so bad that I fully expected Tovah to make him GROVEL. And while she did push back, it wasn’t as much as I would have expected.

The story itself was suspenseful and I loved the mysterious connection that these two share, unbeknownst to Isaac. You spend a good chunk of the book waiting for that other shoe to drop, because you just know that it will be GOOD. There were parts of the writing that did feel repetitive at times. I lost track for the amount of times that Isaac’s inner monster is referenced. And while the depth of his darkness was written well, the receptiveness of the “monster” just felt unnecessary.

As someone that enjoys a good push and pull, I didn’t mind Isaac’s hot and cold behavior towards Tovah. Though I will say that it also felt a bit much with the three times it happened. I felt that two would have more than sufficed. But as it is, I can’t say I minded it too much because it was still entertaining.

The spice was spicing and as a reader that thoroughly enjoys dub con in books, this one hit all the spots. I loved Isaac’s brand of psycho. These two were as toxic as they get, and this reader devoured it greedily. The story did begin to drag a bit towards the end, but I still devoured it in two days.

If you’re looking for a deliciously spicy dark hockey romance, you need to check this series out. Can’t wait for the next installment!

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Review: Call me Teach by S.J. Sylvis

March 11, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

CALL ME TEACH
Series: Wilder U
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Author: S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: March 5, 2025

The deal is simple: my brother’s best friend–who just so happens to be my new roommate–shows me the ropes in the bedroom, and I owe him a favor when the time comes.

No big deal, right?

Except that the favor he asks for is something I never saw coming.

Call Me Teach is a spicy lessons hockey novella that takes place in SJ Sylvis’s upcoming series: Wilder U (coming 2026).

 

 

This title was previously in an anthology but it has a couple of added scenes and a glimpse of upcoming characters!

AMAZON

I no longer want to be called Teach. Instead, I want to be called hers.

Sometimes all you need is a spicy hockey romance novella from one of your favorite authors to make you happy. The only thing better is when said novella also introduces a brand new series from said favorite author. And Call Me Teach checked all the boxes for me!

It’s short, spicy and oh so satisfying.

After breaking up with her boyfriend who was less than satisfying in bedroom, Hannah moves in with her brother and his hot hockey teammates. And let me tell you, I am an absolute wh*re for a brother’s best friend trope! But I digress.

When one is said teammates overhears Hannah tell her friend on the phone that she’s never reached the finish line with any of her boyfriends, he’s determined to teach her. So what’s a little sneaking around among friends with some extreme benefits? Nolan will be happy to have Hannah call him teach, until he realizes he wants more.

This was such a fun read, and while it was short, it was no less satisfying. It packed a deliciously sexy punch and whetted my appetites for the Wilder U series like nothing else! I can’t wait for more with this new series!

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Review: The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy

March 10, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE CHARLIE METHOD
Series: Campus Diaries #3
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: February 25, 2025

The third in the steamy, hilarious Campus Diaries series by New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy, set in the same world as Off Campus and Briar U.

College senior Charlotte Kingston is living two lives―and she’s nailing both of them. By day, she’s the perfect sorority girl, a STEM student in biomedical engineering, and the adopted daughter of an overachiever family. At night, she’s Charlie: a risk-taking daredevil looking for fun who finds herself chatting on a dating app with two anonymous hotties.

Will Larsen may seem like the breezy boy next door, but his congressman father is a constant thorn in his side. After a scandal hits another Division 1 hockey program, Will’s dad is determined to distance his son from it, hiring a journalist to prove how squeaky-clean Will and his team are. Which means the last thing Will wants is for anyone to find out he and his best friend Beckett Dunne―a laidback Aussie shielding secret heartache―sometimes share girls in the bedroom.

When Charlie finally meets them in person and realizes she’s been chatting with two gorgeous Briar U hockey players, things get steamy―fast. But all their messy secrets are piling up, and real life soon threatens to shatter the fantasy. With Charlie, Will, and Beckett all coming to terms with what they want and what others want for them, difficult decisions will need to be made.

Especially when lust starts to look a lot like love.

AMAZON

Because… falling for one guy? Fine. But two? That’s a mess I’m not ready for.

Ummm…I beg your finest pardon? We have a hockey romance from one of my favorite authors with not one but TWO hot hockey boys? Yes, please and thank you! This reader loves a good MFM and this one hit the spot like nothing else!

I am and will forever be an obsessive nerd. Yet I also hook up with football players in parking lots.

Now if there’s something I love more than two hot hockey men, it’s a sex positive FMC. It’s just always such a refreshing change of pace when you get a heroine who not only enjoys sex, she’s not ashamed of it. Petition for more heroines like Charlie. But I digress.

Charlie is the perfect student, the perfect daughter, and the perfect sorority sister. She also likes to hook up with hot jocks. Nothing wrong with that. Girl likes to release her tension in the best of ways. While swiping on the campus hookup app, she stumbles on a profile that instantly catches her attention because of the two hot and faceless bodies and the joint profile is simply too intriguing to pass up. And when she matches them? Game. On.

The fun part is that Charlie has no idea who the two men are or their close proximity to her. Because one is the hockey jock she loves to hate in one of her classes, and the other is her hot new project partner. And the boys have no idea either. So when they finally figure it out, fireworks!

I loved the banter and the dynamic between the three of them. Will is a politician’s son who bears the weight of his father’s high expectations. Beckett is the fun loving one who’s quick with a joke. And Charlie is their perfect fit. I simply loved the three of them together.

Considering that this is Elle’s first MFM, I was wondering how she’d pull it off and she did so seamlessly. The three of them just fit. While I do love me some Elle Kennedy steam, it did seem quite a bit here for the story and while I can’t say that it overpowered it, it did come close to being that at times. I really enjoyed the story but I did want a bit more from the end. I wanted to see more with Charlie and her family and a few other things that I found myself wishing were a a bit more fleshed out. However, it was still a fun and super steamy read that I enjoyed thoroughly and highly recommend for any hockey romance lovers.

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Review: Save Your Breath by Kandi Steiner

March 7, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

SAVE YOUR BREATH
Series: Kings of the Ice #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: March 7, 2025

THIS JUST IN: HOCKEY BAD BOY AND POP STAR EXTRAORDINAIRE ENGAGED!
That was the headline we’d wanted. If only I’d known the cost to get it.

Aleksander Suter has been my best friend since high school—and the only man who’s ever been able to truly get under my skin. With his reputation for trouble and a smirk that could melt ice, he’s also the NHL’s favorite bad boy.

When my publicist’s plan to fix my image collides with his need to clean up his own, we find ourselves in a fake engagement that feels too real from the start.

Now, I’m releasing my new album, putting on a show for the paparazzi I usually try to dodge, and falling too fast for a man who never falls for anyone. Every stolen glance, every heated touch blurs the lines between us until I’m wondering where the lies end and the truth begins.

And when a hurricane traps us together in his high-rise condo, all my carefully built walls collapse, and resisting the pull between us becomes a losing game.

Suddenly, the stakes are higher than just headlines, and the risks feel more personal than ever.

But as our past resurfaces and old feelings reignite, I realize the biggest risk isn’t losing my career—it’s losing my heart to the one person I thought would never be mine.

AMAZON 

Because my best friend, the woman I’d been sick over since I was sixteen, the one woman I knew I could never truly have… She’d just proposed that we pretend to date each other. No, that we pretend to be engaged. And just the thought of her being mine, even if only for a publicity stunt, had my insides twisted into an unholy knot of anticipation.

This series just gets better and better, I swear! Because the level of obsession that I now have with Aleks is simply unrivaled. I mean, I knew I would love him already when he was a secondary character in Learn Your Lesson when he finally let Will see beneath that bad boy mask of his. But actually being inside his head? OHMYGOD.

I wanted her so badly, I’d risk being her mistake.

Aleks is the resident bad boy of NHL with a reputation that precedes him. But after one fight too many, he’s at a risk of losing it all.

Mia has been crushing on Aleks since they were in high school but never recovered from his rejection those years ago. She’s moved on, or at least she tried to. But when her ex from over a year ago is still determined to smear her in the media, she needs a PR plan. And who better to make the world think she moved on than the bad boy of NHL and her high school best friend? But when the chemistry between them is this incendiary, they can only “fake it” for so long.

It was surrender and assassination in tandem.
He wanted to ruin me. I was desperate to be ruined.

The way I loved these two, I can’t even tell you. I loved the raw vulnerability that both of them had with each other. Even if their lack of adult communication made me want to shake them at times, I also understood why they were they way they were. Aleks feelings like he’s not good enough for Mia and Mia still stinging from his rejection when she laid herself bare for him all those years ago. But when Aleks decides that he’s going to risk it all, he really goes all in, and oh my god I was so here for it.

You’re so full of yourself,” I said breathlessly, the bite of my rebuttal weak. “You’ll be full of me soon, too.”

It was a slow burn with sizzling chemistry and the type of friends to lovers that I will always devour. I loved everything about their story; their history, their connection, their emotion, and their chemistry.

If you love a hockey romance with a bad boy/good girl vibe, friends to lovers, and plenty go angst and feels, then you need this book on your TBR!

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DGRFave & Review: Skate The Line by S.J. Sylvis

February 6, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

SKATE THE LINE
Series: Blue Devils Hockey #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: February 6, 2024


⁣A grumpy/sunshine, single dad/nanny, hockey romance by Amazon Top 50 and USA Today bestselling author, S.J. Sylvis.
I’ve been making rational decisions my entire life.⁣
⁣
If someone is in need, I’m there. My Nana needs help with the bills? I’ll drop out of art school and secure a well-paying job. Someone needs the shirt off my back? They can have mine.⁣
⁣
When the league’s most desirable bachelor and single dad needs a nanny that can look past his star power and won’t end up in his bed, I’m the perfect choice.⁣
⁣
Except, Rhodes Volkova isn’t the easiest to get along with. He’s grumpy, blunt, and cynical from past women and their inability to do their job and nothing else. It doesn’t matter that he has a serious soft spot for his daughter and is irresistibly good-looking.⁣
⁣
It doesn’t affect my ability to be the best nanny, and it surely won’t lure me into his bed like the rest.⁣
⁣
Rhodes is skeptical of me, fearful I’ll turn out like the rest with dollar signs in my eyes or just wanting a fling with someone rich and famous. But what he doesn’t know is that I’m distrusting too. I’m done with men and have issues of my own. He doesn’t have to worry about me crossing a line.⁣
⁣
No one said anything about skating the line, though.⁣

AMAZON 

What started as something temporary is turning into something that I want to make permanent.

I didn’t think it was possible for me to love a book more than I did Play the Game but OHMYGOD this book has me in such a chokehold that even a day after finishing I can’t seem to stop thinking about this story and Rhodes and Sunny.

Rhodes Volkova is every bit intimidating as he is attractive.

Rhodes was a secondary character who I fell in love with in book one. A jaded singe dad who can’t keep a nanny to save his life because they’re more interested in him than they are his adorable daughter? Yes please and thank you.

Just looking at her can thaw any man’s cold heart. Except mine, of course.

Sunny is recovering from a trauma and the last thing she wants is another nanny job, but then she gets an offer that just be almost too good to be true. An adorable little girl and her professional hockey father that has a strict professionalism clause for his nanny? She’s all for it. But neither one of them is prepared for the chemistry that will quickly blaze between them no matter how much they try to fight it.

Rhodes was an MMC who I fell hard and fast for. He loves two things only; his daughter and hockey. In that exact order. Having run through too many nannies to count because they’re more interested in seducing him than watching his daughter, he’s given up hope. Until a nanny who seems too good to be true comes into their life and immediately enchants both him and his daughter. And when I tell you that I absolutely adored the grumpy sunshine trope, I mean I was reading this with a goofy grin on my face and kicking my feet the entire time. GOD it was good.

This was a delicious slow burn and I was on pins and needles waiting for these two to finally give into the chemistry between them. I also loved the way they both help the other heal but I won’t spoil anything here and you’ll have to read it to get the details. But trust me when I tell you that it was EVERYTHING.

Damn,” he mutters. Then his mouth is on mine, and I suddenly feel like I’m his.

I spent the last few weeks in a terrible slump thinking that I will never be inspired to read a book in one sitting again, until I turned to page one of this book. And I immediately knew this would be a five star read. And you know what? I was not wrong.

Skate the Line had everything I love; emotion, chemistry, and a story that was addictive from beginning to end. I fell so hard for both Sunny and Rhodes and I never wanted this story to end. I five star loved book one, but this one just simply blew me away. I loved it beyond words and can’t recommend it enough for any hockey romance lover out there. Trust me when I tell you that this book is just not to be missed.

S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and pets! She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book! 

Connect with S.J. Sylvis

Website | https://www.sjsylvis.com/

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