I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Body Check by Elle Kennedy Narrator: Samantha Cook
Published by Harlequin, Harlequin Audio on July 2, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Sports
Length: 8 hours 14 minutes
Pages: 304
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Library, Publisher
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New York Times bestselling author of the Briar U series Elle Kennedy’s first hockey romance, Body Check, is now released in an expanded version, with both new and enhanced scenes by the author! More story, more hockey—and more heat!
After a childhood spent being dragged around the country by her hockey coach father, Hayden Houston intends to take some time to figure out her future. Whether that future will include her currently off-again boyfriend remains to be seen. What it certainly won’t include is the for-one-night-only guy she just met at a bar.
It seems hockey star Brody Croft did not get the memo about being temporary. Big, bold and driven, he’s dedicated in everything he does. Up till now, that’s been his team—the one owned by Hayden’s dad. But his night with Hayden has sparked something he didn’t expect. The two of them are good together. Really good. There’s a connection he’s never experienced before, one he knows they’d be wrong to ignore. Even with a game-fixing scandal testing both their loyalties—to teammates, to friends…to family.
Part of Hayden wants to turn tail and run. A complicated relationship with a bad boy hockey player is exactly what she never wanted. But when it comes to Brody, Hayden is realizing that people can be so much more than what they seem.
I have been a fan of Elle Kennedy’s writing for a while now but I have focused on her more recent novels. When I was offered the opportunity to read one of her earliest works (and her first hockey romance!) I didn’t hesitate. I had a great time with the book and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out for Hayden and Brody.
Hayden wants nothing more than a one-night stand when she approaches Brody at a bar. After spending her youth being shuffled from one hockey game to the next by her father, she doesn’t care for the sport so she has no idea that the man she hooked up with is a star player on her father’s team until it is too late. Brody wants more than just one night and the pair decide to have fun, for now, that is until feelings start to get involved.
I liked Hayden and Brody together. The chemistry between them was well done and they seemed to be a great fit for one another. The barrier to their relationship actually made sense to me, which isn’t always the case, so it was fun to watch them figure out how to make things work.
Samantha Cook did a wonderful job with the narration. I liked the versatility of her voice and thought that she did a great job with the voices of both the male and female characters. I thought that she added just the right amount of emotion to her reading to bring this romance to life. I do believe that her performance added to my overall enjoyment.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. It isn’t my favorite Elle Kennedy romance but it was a solid story. I can’t wait to tackle more of this talented author’s backlist.
I received a review copy of this book from Harlequin.
I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday Narrator: Joshua Jackson, Emily Ellet
Published by Forever, Hachette Audio on January 30, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Sports
Length: 10 hours 52 minutes
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Library, Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Libro.fm
Fate brings together a ballet teacher and a hockey player in this big-hearted novel about second chances and taking risks by the bestselling author Entertainment Weekly calls the “master of witty banter.”
Once upon a time teenage Aurora Evans met a hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. And soon, he was the perfect fake boyfriend, a get-out-of-jail-free card for all kinds of sticky situations. I can't go to prom. I'm going to be visiting my boyfriend in Canada. He was just what she needed to cover her social awkwardness. He never had to know. It wasn't like she was ever going to see him again...
Years later, Aurora is teaching kids’ dance classes and battling panic and eating disorders—souvenirs from her failed ballet career—when pro hockey player Mike Martin walks in with his daughter. Mike’s honesty about his struggles with widowhood helps Aurora confront some of her own demons, and the two forge an unlikely friendship. There’s just one problem: Mike is the boy she spent years pretending was her “Canadian boyfriend.”
The longer she keeps her secret, the more she knows it will shatter the trust between them. But to have the life she wants, she needs to tackle the most important thing of all—believing in herself.
This was a great romance! I am a sucker for a good hockey romance so this one caught my attention as soon as I got a glimpse of the cover. As soon as I started reading, I fell hard for both Aurora and Mike and was completely invested in their romance just as soon as they appeared together on the page.
Mike is a widower raising his daughter, Olivia, who happens to be a student in Aurora’s dance class. Mike is a professional hockey player so he needs some help with his daughter during the times that he can’t be there so he enlists Aurora’s help. Aurora is a positive influence in both Mike’s and Olivia’s lives almost right away and a spark starts to ignite between Aurora and Mike. Aurora and Mike both have some pretty serious issues to deal with and I loved the way that they helped each other just when they needed it most.
I really liked Aurora and Mike as a couple. The chemistry between the pair was palpable and they both seemed to genuinely care for one another. I also really liked with Olivia added to the story. This kid is dealing with some pretty big emotions after the loss of her mother and I appreciated the fact that she was a perfect child at all times.
I have to admit that I decided to grab this audiobook as soon as I saw that Joshua Jackson was one of the narrators. Emily Ellet and Joshua Jackson did a fantastic job with the narration of this story. I think that they both brought the emotional aspect of the story out which helped to bring the characters to life. I am certain that their performance added to my enjoyment and I hope to listen to more of their work in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. It wasn’t a perfect book. I felt like there was some unnecessary drama thrown into the story over something that didn’t feel like a big deal. I also got a little tired of hearing Mike Martin instead of just Mike. Neither of these issues impacted my enjoyment and I hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Forever.
You’d think with all the years I lived in MN I’d be more of a hockey fan. But it is like any other sport to me, I may get interested but not so much in the professional versions. I like Elle Kennedy and I wanted to read The Canadian Boyfriend but didn’t get approved so I didn’t get to it at the library yet.
Awesome! Hockey Romance sign me up.
It’s interesting to see where an author started and see where they are now. Sounds like Body Check was a solid book, if not her best. I also liked Canadian Boyfriend. I love that they got an actual Canadian who played hockey to narrate.
Sometimes there is just that stupid drama that annoys you, sigh, we just have to live with it
I need to read more hockey romances. I’m not sure I’ve ever read one but they all sound fun.