3.5 Cheezus Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level 🌶️🌶️.5/5

This entire review is dedicated to Blake Riley...

I think this book taught me not to judge a character by their first impression because if I trusted my first impression, I might have found myself angry with my inner feminist going holy fuck can this guy stop it? He is bordering on the line of sexual harassment and it IS NOT CUTE!!!

But if you give him a little time, he might make you love him. Because I officially love Blake Riley....

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Jess is planning her little brother's wedding and she needs it to be perfect because she needs to prove to her family she can do something right. But the universe has thrown a little spanner in her plans in the form of Blake, who she had a magical one-night stand with and he wants to rekindle their explosive flame but she cannot be distracted as this wedding must be perfect!

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
See the thing about Blake is that he's the fun guy. Everybody describes him as fun because he adds laughter, joy and enthusiasm into life. He just brings this charismatic spark to everything. But also does this as a defence mechanism. The cliche "Just because he is smiling doesn't mean he is happy". He is hurt and trying to deal with a very messy breakup that has affected who he is and who he is to his family. He portrays himself as this happy-go-lucky guy, pushing the "fake it till you make it" not allowing his emotions to surface. That is until Jess enters his life and makes him start to deal with his issues and how he has been dealing with them.

This IS WHY this book was so eye-opening, as I mentioned at the start, I really didn't like him. He came on way too strong and as much as Jess was telling him no; he kept pushing to the point that he was annoying and very juvenile. It gave off a popular frat boy mentality with his cockiness, arrogance and confidence as "he always gets the girl" and he WILL get her no matter how cheesy, corny or pushy he is.

BUT...to see his development and THE ACTUAL CHARACTER as the story progresses was something else. He has intricate layers underneath his smile, that show he is so much more than what his first perception. His personality is so deep, and his generosity, kindness and heartfelt actions were adorable. He is so sentimental that it is JUST FLIPPING CUTE how genuine and sincere he is. Every little thing that he did, whether he was doing it for Jamie or Wes or Jess, it was just so special. The man has a heart of gold and he wears it on his sleeve. I swooned way too many times at everything that he did and as I kept reading realised how good-natured and kind-hearted he is as all his little good deeds and actions were revealed.

I also loved that he didn't do any of these things for recognition and praise. He is a Hockey Star - he gets enough praise on the rink so doesn't need it; it was really beautiful to see that he wanted to help and do good, just because he is a good guy and likes doing it.

Now I know I might have already known this about his personality before but I didn't. I haven't read Him or Us so this was my first introduction to Black Riley... AND I JUDGED HIM WAY TO HARSHLY!!

I feel like by the end of this I was his biggest cheerleader!

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Second Chance (Folling ONS)
▶ Dual POV
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ Golden Retriever MMC
▶ Brother's Best Friend
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ He Falls First
▶ Sarcastic MMC
▶ Cages Her With His Arms
▶ Fake Dating

Overall if you want a sweet little cute Hockey Romance where you will have the bestest best good boy golden retriever MMC - READ THIS!

Thank you to Netgalley, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Sarina Bowen and Elle Kenney for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own