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Defending Your Heart (Rules of the Game #2)
Defending Your Heart (Rules of the Game #2)
Emma Tharp | 2019 | Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Friends to Lovers
The second book in the Rules of the Game series features Alex and NHL ice hockey player Cole, who has been attracted to Alex from the start.

Alex is a paediatrician, who finds out her fiancée Marcus has been sleeping around. She confronts Marcus, gets the facts and then leaves.

Alex becomes friends with Cole, and over the duration of the book, the friendship becomes love. When Marcus finds out about the friendship he tries very much to get in the way.

This is an entertaining read, watching the development of friendship becoming more, with some heart warming moments. Its a quick and easy read for sports romance lovers. Cole is a likeable character, and you cant help but feel for Alex after her history with Marcus.
  
The Ultimate Goal (Brooklyn Blades #1)
The Ultimate Goal (Brooklyn Blades #1)
Felice Stevens | 2026 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE ULTIMATE GOAL is the first book in the Brooklyn Blades series, and we begin with the captain, Ripley (Rip) Tremaine, and a sports (for now) reporter, Adrian Hunt.

Rip never knew his dad, and his mom died when he was young, so he was brought up alongside his best friend, Neil. There is an 8-year age difference between Rip, Neil, and Neil's younger brother, Adrian - a fact which stopped Rip from noticing him when they were all younger. Adrian's now 28, and trying to make a go of a career that has landed him as an intern to the Sports Desk, even though he wants to do hard news.

This is a sports romance, so be prepared for plenty of ice time and locker time. And I loved it for that! The desire and need for the Blades to win the Stanley Cup comes across loud and clear, even for a non-US person.

There is plenty of action in this story, both on the ice and in the sheets, although they both 'fight' it for a little while, before faking it for Adrian's career, and then finally admitting it is real. I know Denis is the next one, and I'm being honest here, he did himself no favours in this story. I look forward to seeing how his story works out.

Overall, this was a great book that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 29, 2026
  
No Easy Catch (Cleat Chasers, #4)
No Easy Catch (Cleat Chasers, #4)
Jaqueline Snowe | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance, Sport & Leisure, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
No Easy Catch is the fourth book in the Cleat Chasers series, and the second one in the series I have read. You don't need to have read any of the others to get into this story.

This is an enemy to lovers story, set in the world of college with a whole host of dodgy dealings going on. To begin with, Jeff doesn't trust Ambar at all, even thinking she has been involved with it all. He soon learns she is innocent of all charges apart from being related to one of the men involved. This was a lovely tale, with a slow-build romance threaded through the mystery. As the reader, I got to see Jeff's first moments of realisation that Ambar was more than he had previously thought.

Although this is classed as a sports romance and Jeff plays baseball, it didn't take over the story, and there wasn't much there where he was actually on the field. The world is well established, with individual characters adding highlights to the story, or moving forward where necessary. The pacing was smooth and punchy when needed. I did find some words or phrases were used slightly repetitively but that's probably just me.

On the whole, I enjoyed this book and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who enjoys a coming-of-age romance with sport elements.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!