Little bit of a bumpy start, but this had no trouble winning me over by the end. This heroine has quite the personality, lol, and her over-the-top brashness and overt sexuality had me uncomfortable with the age gap (21/31) for awhile, and also feeling like these two were decidedly in the friend zone. Which, yeah, they kinda were. I really enjoyed that these two strangers genuinely weren’t interested in dating each other at first – they’re equally wary about the age gap, and neither one is in the headspace for love. That means that the chemistry takes awhile to simmer, but it heats up in a big way. Once the sexual tension starts crackling, things take a turn for the SPICY, and it was much easier to feel the connection. So not a homerun for me, but this ended up being a pretty solid read.
The story follows Ollie, a college student who finds herself kissing a stranger in an attempt to show her ex that she’s moved on. Ollie jumped on the first guy she saw, meaning that she has no idea that she pretended to be dating a pro hockey player. So when the sorta-sexy stranger demands something in return for playing along, Ollie isn’t sure what to think. Silas may be attractive in an “older man” kind of way, but he’s definitely not her type at all – and he also doesn’t seem to be interested in her either. But it turns out that Silas could use some help saving face in front of his ex as well, so the two strangers strike up a deal to fake a relationship. Spending time together isn’t quite as terrible as either expected, and it’s not long before both Ollie and Silas become drawn to each other in a way they didn’t anticipate.
I love a good strangers to lovers romance, and this meet cute was great. It’s a fun spin on the fake relationship trope, and I actually appreciated that neither Ollie nor Silas considered the other a prospective love interest. Unfortunately, Ollie’s personality is SO overpowering that she ended up coming off as immature and aggressively sexual, which was very off-putting. She mellows out somewhere along the way (or maybe I just got used to her), and then it was easier to feel the love connection between them. I liked that Silas is actually a relationship guy, just a heartbroken one, and I’ve been intrigued by him since the start of the series. Not a fan of how big a role his ex plays in the whole story, but the drama there is kept to a minimum, which I appreciated. I loved that he’s a genuinely good guy (even when he’s grumpy), and it was refreshing that he was hesitant to get into a relationship only because he didn’t think he had healed enough to go there yet. So I had some definite mixed feelings about this along the way, with the first half feeling more like a 3-star read and the second half closer to a 5. In the end, it was a fun journey, and it’s got me excited for future books in the series.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YEF7N6
Audio Note:
The audio is phenomenal! Quinn’s newest duet-style audiobooks are some of the best I’ve listened to, and that certainly makes the reading experience more enjoyable. I love me some Jason Clarke, and Stella Hunter gives a great performance as well. Performing in duet, it’s so immersive and the connection shines. The spice is also incredibly fan-worthy in the format, and there’s plenty of that in the second half. I can’t quite call this a slow burn, but it’s close to what I would consider a hot slow burn in that regard. Definitely not safe for work, lol. The runtime is also long enough that it will probably take you more than one day to get through. I wholeheartedly recommend the format, and the book itself is not bad either.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3KaAUfn
Blurb:
From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn, comes a new fake dating, standalone sports romance featuring the hockey men you can’t get enough of and love. This steamy, age-gap romantic comedy will bring all the laughs while making your cheeks blush at the same time.
Running into your ex is never ideal.
Running into your ex who is now dating your nemesis is a literal nightmare.
That’s how I found myself in a sheer panic, reaching for the closest guy at the bar and kissing him. And to my delight he was easily the most attractive man I’ve ever seen.
The only problem is, when I tried to walk away after thanking him for his help, he stopped me with three life-changing words . . .“You owe me.”
That’s how I found myself, a college girl, in a fake relationship with a professional hockey player ten years older than me.
At first it was easy.
He helped me with my internship.
I helped keep his ex away from him.
We were becoming fast friends.
It wasn’t until he started staying the night at my dorm did the rules of our arrangement become complicated.
Now my feelings are involved and even though I kissed the right man at the right time, I’m worried he’s just waiting for the clock to run out.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YEF7N6
Start the series today!
Easily read as standalones, but better together – and they just got new covers. Personally, I loved Those Three Little Words, but Kiss and Don’t Tell kicks off the series and introduces the characters.
Kiss and Don’t Tell
From USA Today bestselling author and the author of The Highland Fling, comes a brand new hockey romance about a wayward traveler falling in love with her ex-boyfriend’s half-brother. Steamy and unapologetically witty.
Five hockey players, a cabin in the woods . . . and little old me, Winnie Berlin.
Sounds like the start of a fantasy, right? But it’s not. It’s my reality.
It all started when I got lost in the middle of the Canadian Rockies. A wicked thunderstorm sent my car mud sliding into a ditch and for a girl whose survival skills involve finding the nearest Starbucks, I was in deep trouble.
Forced to abandon my car in search of help, I stumbled upon a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Soaking wet, irritated, and in desperate need of a hot shower, I knocked on the door for help only to be greeted by five boisterous, burly, and insanely attractive men.
Not just men.
Professional hockey players.
I hit the motherload of fantasies, right? Wrong.
Because as it turns out, one of them is my ex-boyfriend’s half-brother. And when I end up crashing in their spare bedroom for the night, things take a very unexpected turn.
I’m not sure any amount of survival skills can protect my heart from Vancouver Agitators star goalie, Pacey Lawes. But as long as we kiss and don’t tell, maybe everything will be okay . . .
Amazon: https://amzn.to/38MjTVc
Those Three Little Words
I knocked up my best friend’s sister.
Figured I would get straight to the point because how it happened is a mere snippet of the story I have to tell. The real meat and potatoes is what happened after.
Let’s start with how she decided to inform me and Pacey the news . . . together. Imagine that nightmare. I was going into what I thought was a hockey marketing meeting and then BAM! I’m going to be a dad and my best friend/teammate is attempting to imprint my face with his fist.
It wasn’t pretty.
Threats were tossed around, friendships were revoked, and then I was marched up to her apartment, suitcases in hand, and forced to live with her so I could take care of her every need. Given how much I’ve pined for the girl, you would think that wouldn’t be a hardship. Wrong.
This is my one shot to win my teammate back. Pacey is the only family I’ve got, so hooking up with his sister isn’t a mistake I can make twice . . . despite the fact that she’s pregnant with my child.
But with every mood swing, every pair of pants that doesn’t fit right, and every late night run to find the perfect donut, I’m finding it harder and harder not to fall for my best friend’s little sister.
Especially when she kisses me…
Read the audiobook review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3twxyux
About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
Connect w/Meghan:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormeghanquinn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn
Website: http://authormeghanquinn.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meghan-quinn
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LitE4x
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