I LOVED this!! I was excited to dive into this one and I enjoyed it even more than I expected to. I’ve been itching to read more hockey romances (Taylor Fitzpatrick is the gold standard, imo, and has spoiled me for them) and this one hooked me right from the first line. Really well written and character-driven, this checks so many boxes of Things I Love in a Romance.

College hockey player Mickey is struggling with depression, feeling the weight of being the third generation of a line of elite NHL legends. The pressure from the expectations his family’s legacy has dropped on him is becoming too much.

I sometimes struggle with the enemies/rivals to lovers trope but this relationship developed very naturally and didn’t feel forced (or hateful). And I really liked Mickey - he’s such a great character. He’s really funny, totally low key and down to earth. He is definitely an enjoyable and relatable character to read in the first person POV.

The book is heavy on the hockey (which I love!) and I thought the hockey elements were really well done. The author definitely knows what they’re talking about - the lingo, the game, the overall culture are all captured brilliantly. (And the chirping is top notch.