Review: How You Get the Girl

I absolutely adored Anita Kelly’s novel Love & Other Disasters when I read it last year. Since I was a little late to the game, I didn’t realize there was a second book in the series (Something Wild & Wonderful) but I did sit up and take notice when I heard about How You Get the Girl, which was published on February 13. A romance? In the world of basketball? And a f/f romance, no less? Yes, please! I. Loved. It. Seriously. This book shot immediately to the top of the list for 2024 reads!

Here’s the book’s description:

When smart-mouthed Vanessa Lerner joins the high school basketball team Julie Parker coaches, Julie’s ready for the challenge. What she’s not ready for is Vanessa’s new foster parent, Elle Cochrane—former University of Tennessee basketball star. While star-struck at first, soon Julie persuades Elle to step into the unfilled position of assistant coach for the year.
Even though Elle has stayed out of the basketball world since an injury ended her short-lived WNBA career, the gig might be a way to become closer to Vanessa—and to spend more time with Julie, who makes Elle laugh. As the coaches grow closer, Elle has a hard time understanding how Julie is single. When Julie reveals her lifelong insecurity about dating and how she wishes it was more like sports—being able to practice first—it sparks an intriguing idea. While Elle still doubts her abilities as a basketball coach, helping Julie figure out dating is definitely something she can do. But as the basketball season progresses, and lines grow increasingly blurred, Julie and Elle must decide to join the game—or retreat to the sidelines.

Basketball romances are major catnip stories for me. I played when I was in high school but wasn’t good enough (or dedicated enough) to move any higher so I stuck to playing intramural ball when I was at university. One thing I loved about this story from the basketball perspective, other than the major nostalgia factor, was the absence of male posturing BS since there were no males playing the game. Everyone hitting the court was female or non-binary. It was refreshing and kind of helped…hm…reposition?...some of my thoughts. My experience playing ball in high school was much different than the players currently on Julie’s team. I was a straight, white girl playing basketball in a small town in the early 2000s and it was assumed that everyone else I played with was also straight and a girl (also white…we were not a racially diverse town). If anyone felt like maybe a label other than “straight” or even “female” applied to them? They definitely weren’t saying anything. And so I wonder about those players - not necessarily the ones I played with but just players everywhere - who feel like they have to conform to the patriarchal world of sports.

In addition to talking about (sometimes explicitly, sometimes not) how to be female or non-binary in the world of sports, this novel also tackles some mental health topics. Elle’s torn ACL wasn’t the only reason she left the WNBA when she did - her mental health was just as damaged as her physical health. She’d worked hard to manage it and struggled mightily when her “management” failed and she found herself in a depressive episode (it’s not super dark or graphic but please be kind to yourself if you also have depression and are reading this book). I liked how Kelly had Julie approach this. She didn’t have a magical answer and couldn’t “fix” Elle, and Elle also couldn’t figure out how to let Julie in. In short, they both had shit to figure out and it was refreshing as hell. Who knows how best to be with a new partner in the best of circumstances let alone when you’re navigating a depressive episode? It felt realistic and I was here for it.

In the Reader’s Guide, Kelly talks about Happily Ever Afters (HEA) vs Happily For Now (HFN). I consider true romances to have a HEA (I even called my romance book club at work “Happily Ever After”) but HFNs totally fit the bill too. I think we focus on the forever aspect of “after” because we want to be optimistic and believe that the couple we’ve spent a few hundred pages with will have a wonderful life, even when we know that life isn’t easy for anyone. But that doesn’t mean that HFNs should be frowned upon. It’s simply more realistic to expect the couple to have to do more work to establish their relationship since they just got together (and may have even had that dreaded third act breakup!). But, for some reason, probably because we’re dumb humans, we want that fairy tale ending. I liked that Kelly made me think more about HEA vs HFN, even as someone who’s always been OK with a Happily For Now.

I freaking loved Julie and Elle. Loved. Them. I mean, come on. Julie had had a massive crush on Elle since she was 14 (and Elle 18, if my math/memory is correct) and now she had a shot at DATING her? Gah. I’m swooning. I was into the entire relationship. The tension as they flirted, and then fake/practice dated, and then for-real dated. So damn good. I loved everything about the whole thing. LOVED. 

How You Get the Girl was an absolute delight and I loved every second I spent reading Anita Kelly’s latest novel. Whether you’re here for the basketball or the romance (or both), you’ll love it too.

*An egalley was provided via NetGalley by Forever and a print copy was provided by HBG Canada, both in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Sweet as Pie

It's always a delight when the inside of a novel is as sweet as the cover. That was the case with Alicia Hunter Pace's latest novel, Sweet as Pie. The cover made me want to devour it and I was happy to find a romance story that was just as delectable. I really enjoyed it and am so excited that this is the first in a series - so I know there are more lovely novels to come!

Here's the book's description:

Evans Pemberton has always had a problem saying no. To her overbearing Mississippi Delta family, to her business mentor’s push to expand her thriving pie shop and to her lifelong crush, Jake Champagne. But Jake chose her beauty queen cousin three years ago and ghosted on their close friendship. When he comes to her small town in Alabama with a new pro hockey franchise, Evie fears she’ll lose her heart all over again. Of course, she'll forgive him like the good Southern woman she is, but anything more than that is off the table.
So why can’t she stop baking for him?
Jake is looking forward to a new team, a new town and a clean slate in Laurel Springs. After a disastrous year, the hockey hotshot is leaving his past behind—even betting his best friend that he can stay away from women. But he’s happy to reconnect with a piece of home when he visits Evie. Between slices of Mississippi mud pie and chicken potpie, he’s starting to remember all the good times they had and the man he always intended to be. Not to mention what a fool he was to let Evie get away…
How will they find a future together when she can’t say no and he can’t say yes? The path to true love isn’t quite easy as pie, but it sure is sweet in the end.

There are all sorts of my favourite tropes in this novel - small town, sports, and friends to lovers. Plus, there was a bakery! Yum! Though - can it really be a small town when an NHL franchise is playing there? I feel like there's some sort of contradiction happening but that's far too much analysis for this sweet little book.

Evie and Jake are both lovely but they have a lot of issues to work through. Jake is acting like an idiotic twentysomething year old divorced hockey player (I had to constantly remind myself that the pair were really young, I think 21 because they sometimes acted a lot older, even when they were being dumb) and Evie is a Yes Girl which causes all sorts of trouble. Even though I love friends to lovers, it's a tad bit harder when it's obvious that one of the friends has wanted to be lovers for a long, long time and the other is totally unobservant and had no idea (cough Jake cough). But the friendship base is still there and makes for a really great relationship.

After not reading a sports romance in a long while, I finished two this month! The Dating Playbook (review here) had a football player, whereas Sweet as Pie featured a hockey player. I know a lot more about hockey than football (I live in Canada and like sports so it's no surprise I've picked up a lot about the sport) which can help when reading a hockey romance. Of course, it's not really about the hockey so if you're an avid hockey fan, you'll likely find yourself wanting more. But, I liked the balance in this novel and enjoyed the hockey, baking, and small town romance vibes that all worked together. I don't really know how salaries work in the NHL but I know hockey players make a ton of money. That said, I don't know if Jake really made enough to be able to throw money around on all that he did. Maybe my frugal nature just couldn't help but judge his spendy ways! I'm glad that Evie made fun of his "bug car" because it drove me nuts too!

The next book in the Good Southern Women series will be Smooth as Silk and will release in February 2022. There was an excerpt in the back of Sweet as Pie that has me super excited to read Hyacinth and Robbie's story. And not just because I'm hopeful for a "trip" to Scotland in that book as Robbie is a hockey player from Scotland. It should be an absolute delight as well.

Sweet as Pie is just as sweet as you'd expect. Alicia Hunter Pace's novel doesn't lend itself well to picking it apart for a review, as I've realized, but I would definitely recommend this if you want a fun and cute story to get lost in for a little while.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, in exchange for a post on Instagram. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Cover Reveal: A Brit Player

It's been awhile since I've done a cover reveal and I'm excited to share the cover of Brenda St. John's upcoming novel A Brit Player! I've read a few of St. John's novels and have found them really enjoyable. One of those reads was the first in the Castle Calder series, A Brit on the Side. Because I liked that one so much, I knew I wanted to share the new cover of book 4 with you all.

The series isn't a "true" one so you can hop in and out of the series without feeling like you'll be missing anything by not having read the others. Which is good since I haven't read books two or three! But I'm still looking forward to #4! This one, which publishes June 23, is a second chance sports romance which is kind of my jam.

Before I share the cover, here's what the book is all about:

Whoever said taking a second chance on your first love was a good idea obviously had nothing to hide…
They say the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. But shagging a guy with a “Bad Decision” tattoo is never a good idea. It’s a warning label. Trust me.
So when a friend coerces me into taking part in a charity dating auction, I jump at the chance to leave London - and my bad decisions - behind for a weekend.
But Max Foster is there and he’s bidding on me like it’s his job. Max isn’t just a guy. He’s THE GUY - my first love who I haven’t seen since the day he left high school to go play professional football in Spain.
I shouldn’t see him again, never mind want to. Because letting him find out about the secret I’ve kept from him these past twelve years? That has “bad decision” written all over it.
** This book may contain triggers for sensitive readers **

Sounds intriguing, right?

Ready for the cover?

Was someone looking for a blond, muscled footie player? 'Cause I found him for us! I love the purple and the gold and shiny font.

If you're already interested (come one, you know you are!) you can add it to Goodreads here. 

And if you're ready to pull the trigger, here are your pre-order links:

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Apple Books * Books2Read

The rest of the Castle Calder books are below and they're all available now.

A Brit on the Side
FREE on all platforms for a limited time!
Amazon US / UK / CA / AU * B&N * Kobo * Apple Books * Books2Read

A Brit Unexpected

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU * B&N * Kobo * Apple Books * Books2Read

A Brit Complicated

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU * B&N * Kobo * Apple Books * Books2Read

About the Author
Brenda is a displaced New Yorker living in the English countryside. She’s lived in the UK long enough to gain dual citizenship, but still doesn’t understand Celsius. However, she has learned the appropriate use of the word “pants”. And how to order a proper bacon bap/barm/buttie. Because, well, bacon.
Brenda writes contemporary romance to make you giggle and swoon. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking, running and reading. In theory, she also enjoys cooking, but it’s more that she enjoys eating and, try as she might, she can’t live on Doritos alone.
For more information or to connect with Brenda visit http://brendastjohnbrown.com

Connect with the author

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Review: The One That Got Away

I always say I love a good second chance romance. Turns out Karina Halle has made me love a good fourth chance romance, too. The One That Got Away is her latest and I adored it. It was the perfect book to sink into over a sunny, last weekend of summer. I read it so quickly, as I always do with Halle's books, and then was so sad when it was over, like always with Halle's books. 

Here's the synopsis:

Ruby Turner was never meant to be mine.
When I first met her, she was a fresh, young, American sports journalist trying to find her footing in a new life abroad. She was the one interviewing me for an article, yet I wanted to know more about her. She captivated me.
But she went home with Marco that night.
My agent.
My brother.
And I did what I could to pretend I was fine with it.
After all, I’m Luciano Ribeiro. As the captain of Real Madrid, and Portugal’s National Team, it’s my job to be cool, calm, and collected, not easily rattled.
Only what I felt for Ruby over time, shook me to my very core.
It made me do things I never imagined I would do.
It started with a stolen kiss in the middle of the night.
It led to a passionate tryst.
It created a burden of guilt that I had to carry, as Ruby came in and out of my life until she left for good, leaving her mark on me.
Now, seven years later, she’s back.
She was the one that got away.
I don’t think I’ll let her go this time.
But I might not have a choice.
Because my heart still belongs to her.
And her heart might belong to my brother.

Halle has published two other (excellent!) novels this year but neither were particularly...heart-wrenching, I suppose is the right word for it. I mean "heart-wrenching" as a good thing, of course. I love that she can write lighter romances but also ones that are able to reach into you and rip your heart out. Before lovingly putting it back together. In this case, it was put back together with the most satisfying Happily Ever After I've read in awhile. I've read lots of good ones lately, of course, but there was something about this one that made me SO happy by the time they figured out what was best for them. (We all know that's not a spoiler, right? This is a romance, after all.)

If you're looking for a little armchair traveling during the pandemic, Halle has you covered. This book takes place in Portugal and should help your wanderlust, at least a little bit. I know Halle likes to set her books where she's actually traveled so I know she knows what she's talking about. 

I have to say...the only little thing that gets to me with Halle's books is how sometimes they're sometimes a wee bit too angsty. You read how the synopsis is written, right? Sometimes the story gets like that too and it's just...a lot. It never bothers me too much but sometimes I find myself skimming the internal dialogue of the characters because they're a bit...earnest.

I liked that Luciano was an athlete but wasn't super macho or alpha. He respected Ruby's choices - so much so that they weren't able to communicate as much as they should have. Instead of voicing his feelings, he shoved them aside because he didn't think he deserved romance and the happiness that can come from that. He was a good man with a past that's damaged him and he hasn't been able to heal from it. It was so great to read as he met Ruby and realized there was someone out there in the world who could understand him.

Ruby was a delight to read. She was so lost and unsure of where she wanted to go in life, which I could totally understand. I mean, I'm now in my 30s and still feel lost sometimes so I get how a twentysomething could feel. I liked that she figured out one part of her life and went after that dream - moving to Europe and working on her sports journalism career. She was so full of life and she and Luciano together brightened her already vibrant personality. It was so lovely. Their relationship was also off-the-charts steamy which was great to read too!

The One That Got Away is a must read for anyone looking for a story to escape into. Karina Halle's novel will get deep into your soul and Ruby and Luciano will stick with you for awhile. I can't wait for what she writes next (and it's looking like it's going to be a holiday anthology!). 

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via Valentine PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Favor for a Favor

Since I had quite enjoyed the first book in Helena Hunting's All In series (I reviewed A Lie for a Lie here), I was really looking forward to reading book two, A Favor for a Favor. What I wasn't expecting was to actually like this one more than the first!

Here's the synopsis:

When I joined Seattle’s NHL expansion team, I thought it was the start of something great. But nothing ever goes the way you expect. Take my introduction to my new neighbor. She came rolling in on the hot mess express at midnight, making a racket while she tried to get into my team captain’s apartment. Did I mention that he’s married to a woman who definitely was not her?
Imagine my surprise when I end up with an injury that has me out of the game for weeks, and she’s the one to offer to help me. I should probably add that she’s not the captain’s mistress. She’s his sexy, pastel-haired younger sister.
So we come up with an arrangement: she rehabs me so that I can get back on the ice sooner, and she can add a professional athlete that isn’t her brother to her client list. Seems simple enough. As long as I can keep my hands to myself and my hormones in check.

It's always tricky going into the second book of a series when each book features a new couple. Will you like them as much as the characters in the first book? What if you don't? What if you spend the whole book hoping just to get a glimpse of the first couple? Now, I don't want to say I didn't care if I didn't see RJ or Lainey in this book but...I was fine knowing they were a-ok in their HEA as I just needed to focus on Stevie (the aforementioned woman who's trying to sneak into the captain's apartment) and Bishop, RJ's teammate. I loved them. Especially Stevie. Bishop was a bit of a dick but Hunting managed to write him in such a way that you knew that wasn't really what he was like. It was kind of like that was just the persona he had to put on to survive his day to day.

I found myself really wanting to be Stevie's friend. She seemed like the type of woman I could really get along with. She was feisty, smart, funny, and had a big heart. I felt for her when she talked about having to deal with her brother's fame. I can't imagine what it would have been like to be the kid sister of a hockey superstar. I also liked that Hunting had a lot of great brother-sister scenes with Stevie and her brother, RJ, trying to sort out their complicated, but loving, sibling relationship (even though, yes, I wanted to get back to the sexy romance times with her and Bishop).

Stevie and Bishop's courtship was so much fun to read. They're flirting with each other in the most ridiculous way and don't even realize they're flirting until some kind friends and family point out that they can't stop thinking or talking about the other. Their whole relationship seems so unrealistic but I loved it. Because why couldn't the sister of the team's captain end up living next to a super hot and single player and they end up dating?

I could probably gush about this book a whole lot more but I'll hold off. Just know that Helena Hunting has written a great second book to her series and I think romance fans will love A Favor for a Favor as much as I did. I really cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Review: A Lie for a Lie

Helena Hunting has been a romance author I'd been meaning to read for a long while. I'd heard good things plus she's Canadian. I was happy and excited when I got the chance to read A Lie for a Lie, a new series she was starting. It was fun and sexy and dramatic and I enjoyed it a lot.

Here's the synopsis:

Sometimes I need an escape from the demands, the puck bunnies, and the notoriety that come with being an NHL team captain. I just want to be a normal guy for a few weeks. So when I leave Chicago for some peace and quiet, the last thing I expect is for a gorgeous woman to literally fall into my lap on a flight to Alaska. Even better, she has absolutely no idea who I am.
Lainey is the perfect escape from my life. My plan for seclusion becomes a monthlong sex fest punctuated with domestic bliss. But it ends just as abruptly as it began. When I’m called away on a family emergency, I realize too late that I have no way to contact Lainey.
A year later, a chance encounter throws Lainey and me together again. But I still have a lie hanging over my head, and Lainey’s keeping secrets of her own. With more than lust at stake, the truth may be our game changer.

Knowing that Hunting has written hockey romances in the past, I knew she would include the sport in the story in a meaningful and realistic way. I'm not really a hockey fan but being a general sports fan and a Canadian, it means I know a lot more about the sport than the average person. I'm also a romance fan so I'm always happy when sports and romance come together in a great story.

This is one of those romances that drives you nuts even while you're rooting for the couple. Both Lainey and RJ have a lot of stuff they need to sort out but they take advantage of being thrown together with someone they find extremely attractive and dive in to a bunch of sexy times. The last thing either of them expect is to start falling for each other. It's no surprise then when it totally crashes and burns. Until they're thrown back together a year later. You want to yell at them both to just be honest to each other because then they'd save a whole lot of heartbreak. Luckily, they listen, eventually, and everyone lives Happily Ever After. (If you consider that a spoiler, I don't know what kind of romances you've been reading.)

I don't know if I especially liked Lainey and RJ but I did really enjoy reading their story. They were so very good for each other and I just love reading stories when people find their person. Especially when it's in such a bananas way. On a plane to Alaska? How fun and random!

I was super into A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting. I read it in a day because I just didn't want to put down the super swoony and emotional story. I'm definitely invested in this series and look forward to more stories about the hockey team Hunting has created.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, Thomas Allen & Son, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Sleeping with the Enemy

I expected Sleeping with the Enemy to be your typical romance novel. In a way, Tracy Solheim's latest book fit that bill. But there's more to it than a former couple being thrust together once again many years later (though that's one of my favourite tropes). There's another factor in play in this novel...someone intent on ruining the lives of these characters. That element added something extra to the story and made me like it that much more.

Here's the synopsis:

Dot-com millionaire Jay McManus is discovering that owning a pro football team like the Baltimore Blaze isn’t easy. An anonymous blogger is out to destroy his reputation, and now his team is being sued by its own cheerleaders. If Jay’s not careful, he could lose big—and not just financially.
Bridgett Janik’s brother may play for the Baltimore Blaze, but she’s not thrilled to be defending Jay McManus, the man who broke her heart. It’s bad enough she has to mingle with Jay during games, but working beside her former lover may be too much for her body—and her heart—to resist.
Jay’s determined not to let Bridgett slip away from him a second time. But, as the two follow the mysterious blogger’s trail, secrets—both past and present—are revealed, and Jay and Bridgett must decide if their relationship can be something more than just sleeping with the enemy.

Bridgett and Jay are both very strong characters. And by that I mean they're strong-willed, ambitious, tough, and so on. They both have demanding careers that they've let run their lives because they're too busy protecting their broken hearts (even though they insist they don't have hearts any longer, let alone broken ones). It was great to read about a woman who was high powered and respected in her industry and I think Solheim did a good job of balancing that career-mindedness with the romance. Her characters showed that you can have a career and personal relationships...even though so many of the characters were real humans and screwed up from time to time. It was refreshing.

I've read four sports related novels this year (plus two manuscripts) and all but one revolved around football. I like sports so I enjoy when novels are set in that kind of environment. Of course, I wish authors would branch out from football but I guess I'll take what I can get. (Side note: please recommend any books that feature baseball teams or players. Or hockey. I am Canadian, after all.) Anyway, the actual game of football doesn't have much to do with this novel. This book features the owner of the team so he's not actually playing the sport. I liked that it gave a behind the scenes look of a franchise.

While Sleeping with the Enemy is part of a series, you don't necessarily have to have read the rest of them. If the series interests you, though, I'd recommend starting from the beginning since past characters show up in this book and you'll know who ends up with who in each book (though these are romances so you'll have an idea anyway!). You'll also have a better grasp on all of the characters. That's one thing I didn't love about this book...it was hard to keep everyone straight. Names were dropped that I should have known but I didn't and I therefore didn't see the point of mentioning them. 

I can't let a review of a romance novel end without discussing the actual romance, now can I? I love a good second chance romance. I sometimes get annoyed when it's clear there was miscommunication between the love interests in the past and it's just due to stubbornness/fear that they haven't worked things out. In the case of Bridgett and Jay, there are elements in play that you don't even realize are elements. That's not a spoiler...you can tell there's more going on but you really don't know what it is. I liked that. Finally, the sex scenes are just steamy enough for this type of romance but be warned if you hate reading about sex or if you're looking for erotica. These two had crazy chemistry. ;)

Overall, Sleeping with the Enemy was a good romance read. It didn't blow me away but Tracy Solheim kept me interested and invested in the characters and story she created. Would I read more of her books? Yes, I probably would. I'm involved in the world of the Baltimore Blaze now and I wouldn't mind seeing what else those characters get up to.

One course complete for the Fall Reading Challenge!
Course: Scandal Studies 101
Department: Romance

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher via BookSparks as part of their Fall Reading Challenge. All opinions are honest and my own.*