This sexy, fun and action packed journey pulls on all the right heart strings from beginning to end. Adored this exciting and engaging couple and all the supporting charters in this thrilling adventure! Excellent reading!

Ms. Hunting nails the perfect blend of romance and comedy in this second chance romance.

Rook is looking forward to spending time with his brother at their cabin in Alaska. The off-the-grid fishing excursion is highly needed. He is on his flight there when he ends up next to a gorgeous nerd who he can’t help but want to spend time with. His brother cancels once he lands and Rook’s attention focuses on the girl next to him.

Lainey is there to do research. She comes from a large family that is overly protective (or should I say the mom is crazy). She nearly chokes herself out with her scarf and ends up tossing her cookies all in front of the sexy man next to her. As if life is playing some cruel joke on her, the cabin she rented is something out of a horror flick.

The two spend some time together and a cute flirty friendship forms. I liked how sensitive Rook became towards all of Lainey’s quirky behaviors. Once they took a step forward, the chemistry was very explosive.

Rook leaves for a family emergency and he never got a chance to get Lainey’s number. A year passes and the two see each other at a team mate’s baby party. Lainey is hurt that she thought Rook was a farmer and not some hot shot captain of a hockey team. She doesn’t want anything to do with him. Rook refuses to let up and discovers she has been holding secrets of her own.

I am not the biggest sports romance fan. Maybe because of the sports element but sometimes it can be done right and this was done just right! I think the romance, humor and emotions blended into the perfect story.

I understood Lainey’s hurt but I guess I wanted her to move past it faster since she was holding a bigger secret. The secret is always a ploy that makes me cringe a bit but it was expected and the author didn’t harp on it too long. Lainey and Rook took their romance to another level and I liked how they handled their life in a mature fashion.

Of course, this book is loaded with tons of side characters so I expect to get another story or two from this franchise. Fans of the Pucked series will enjoy this one. There are cameos of all of the characters from the series so readers can catch up with their favorite couples.

~ Samantha

Another super cute story from Helena Hunting. I have missed being in her hockey world, and this was a great way to get back.

Lainey and RJ's story is full of attraction, dripping with lust - and halted by lies.

I didn't even read the blurb before I started reading this one - didn't need to lol. However, if you do read the blurb, you could have a pretty good guess at what one of the lies is. Or like me, you will guess some of it as you are reading along. However that did not take away anything from my enjoyment.

Their story is a wonderful second-chance romance, with a few hurdles along the way. There was a bit of drama for drama's sake, however nothing was really OTT.

Were they lies? Were they lies of omission? Does it really matter at the end of the day. Someone gets hurt either way. It is the way that the hurt is dealt with that matters, right?

I liked that when things get found out, there was some serious grovelling, and our guy shows the man he really is, not what the world shows him as.

I loved seeing the Pucked boys and their families - Vi is still as funny AF as she every was, and I love every scene she is in.

I did miss the actually hockey in this one though - but that is just me!

I am really looking forward to the next book now.

Run out and grab yourself a copy of A Lie for A Lie - RJ is worth it!

How does she do it every single time??? My freaking heart. Rook owns my heart! I laughed. I am so amped up for a new series, a new world, and new hockey players to fall in love with.

Rook! I have loved his character since he was the newest rookie in the beloved Pucked series, so when I found out he was book one in the spin off series, I couldn't have been more excited. And let me tell you, Rook did not disappoint in any single way. He was charming, romantic, funny. Just perfect. There are minor slip ups for sure, but his heart is always in the right place.

Lainey is very much your typical Helena heroine - a bit quirky and fun. I felt like, although she is the typical Hunting heroine, she still had an authenticity to her. I believed her struggles and understood motivationsbehind things. I really liked her character and intelligence. Let's just say that I am a sucker for a smart heroine.

The plot overall was great. I loved seeing them meet and fall in love. I felt like the initial fallout was believable, but there wasn't a substantial conflict later for me. When they came back together, they came back seemlessly, really. Yes, there are tiny bumps, but Rooks determination and their attraction to each other trumped them all. And while this is very real life, I prefer a bit more angst and conflict to my romances.

That being said, Helena did a fantastic job integrating the two worlds. Readers get to see their beloved Pucked heroes and heroines while simultaneously creating a new world for us to love. I am so very excited for it all.

A Lie for a Lie is the exemplifies everything readers love about a Helena Hunting book - charm, romance, and hilarity. I cannot wait to see what more this series has in story for us.

A Lie for a Lie is a good second chance love story. But what's even better is this is the start of a new hockey series called All In. I loved her Pucked series, and was missing the characters so I was super excited to see them in this book. I mean who could not miss Vi's humour. RJ is captain of a Chicago NHL team, he's tired of puck bunnies, and wants a girl he can have a family with. From the moment these two meet you can feel the chemistry between them. Laney isn't very wordly, she been home schooled, and sheltered by her parents. A lie is a lie even when it's not meant to be right? I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐💫
A Lie for a Lie is the first book in the all-new All In series. It's a sports romance and second chance romance and it had that sweet and fuzzy feel with a few good laughs. I felt that the second half of the book was stronger than the first when in came to character and plot development.

The relationship between Lainey and RJ (Rook) had potential, but it lacked depth. I enjoyed getting to know how they met and connected initially, but that fire didn't burn as bright the second time around. There were many cutesy scenes but I was hoping for more substance and relationship growth.

In the end, A Lie for a Lie was a pleasant enough story for me to read to the end, but it wasn't dazzling.




**Complimentary copy for review provided by Montlake Romance via Netgalley. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

Helena...you've done it again! Another book and start of series that I FLOVE!!! RJ aka Rook and Lainey are just the cutest couple. RJ is such a big softie and so sweet. They each had their reasons, but the title says it all.

"I should tell him my own truth. But for now we're tied: a lie for a lie."

This second chance romantic comedy had it all, I can't stress enough that you NEED this book! I was so happy we get snippets of the characters from the PUCKED series and little Robbie with the "yer-nal hockey" made me cackle. A Lie For A Lie is an EPIC read and the first book in the All In Series. I'm super excited for A Favor For A Favor. A Lie For A Lie by Helena Hunting will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

I loved the Pucked series and was excited to see some of those characters show up again. Unfortunately, this one didn’t have the same humour or steaminess of that series, so I didn’t love it quite as much. I did really like part of the book that was set in Alaska; it was very sweet and RJ was super lovable. I did think that Lainey was a bit too damsel-y at first, but I found she was much better and independent in the second half of the novel, which was nice. I understood her anxiety, I just didn’t always love how she was using a relative stranger to ease it at first - as an anxious person it just seemed unlikely to me, but everyone copes in different ways 🤷🏻‍♀️ There was also a trope in this one (no spoilers) that just personally isn’t my favourite, so overall this one just wasn’t going to be one that I loved easily. That being said, I still really enjoyed it and think that other fans of Helena Hunting will too!
I liked that for a sports-adjacent-romance, the author didn’t focus too much on hockey. Looking forward to the next in the series!

Thank you for the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this delightful, second chance romance. This heartwarming story centers around a hot professional hockey player and a geeky girl. These two characters are genuine, easy to relate to and stole my heart.

This is the first book in the new All In series and I can’t wait to read more. I was happily surprised to find some of the characters from the Pucked series were included in this story and it was fun catching up with them.

Lainey and Rook meet when they are both vacationing in Alaska. Lainey is in Alaska to work on her thesis. She is sweet, uncomfortable in most social situations and doesn’t have a lot of confidence.

Rook is a good guy, but he has made some mistakes in his life and with Lainey. I love that he never gives up. Once he meets Lainey, he knows she is the one and he never forgets her and doesn’t give up trying to woo her back. Rook is sexy, charming, and genuine. He is grounded, even though he is a famous, good looking pro athlete. Rook is used to having women falling all over him and he finds Lainey refreshing and he is attracted to everything about her. Lainey is shy and doesn’t know who Rook is. She likes Rook for himself, not for his celebrity or money.

I loved the characters. They are meant to be together and bring out the best in each other. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down and was sad when it ended.

I don't know how she does it, but I was sucked right into this book within the very first page. Of course it probably helped having a few of my favorite characters from the Pucked series to ease me into these characters. But it wasn't just the familiar ones that made me love this story, it was that once again Hunting has created characters that you can't help but fall in love with. I'm almost positive that Rook, or RJ, is going to be my new book boyfriend. In Hunting's hockey world, he's pretty close to beating out Randy for me. Of course it is obvious right away what RJ's lie is going to be, even from the synopsis above you know it will have something to do with who he is. And in the story, we're pretty much figuring it out pretty quickly. However, Lainey's lie isn't quite as straight forward, we go almost half way through the story before we find out. And honestly, her lie doesn't really count like his lie does, in my opinion. I like the way Hunting handled this side of the story, and I want to say how much I adored certain things, but can't do it without giving away Lainey's lie. We also get some new characters added, RJ's family for instance, and I see that his sister is going to be one of the main characters in the second book. I have a guess at who her love interest will be, which of RJ's new teammates, and I think I'm really looking forward to book 2, so, is it 2020 yet?

5 “karmic chance” stars!

A Lie for a Lie is an all new sports romance that makes you laugh, turns up the heat, and brings on the feels. With realistic and enticing characters and a captivating and entertaining storyline, this heartwarming love story is unputdownable and easily joins my list of favorite second chance romances.

Rook is an NFL team captain who is as popular off the ice as he is on it. Ready for things to slow down, he's changed his ways and now enjoys more time out of the spotlight. When his annual Alaska trip with his brother ends up being just him, he decides to enjoy the quiet time alone. At least until Lainey falls into his life.

Lainey is a shy, small town girl who grew up in a big family and hasn’t really been on her own despite her being twenty-five years old. She’s ready for an adventure so she takes a six-week internship for her master’s degree in Alaska. She feels prepared but she could never have imagined the turn her life would take when she literally falls on a gorgeous guy while boarding a plane for the first time.

I fell hard and fast for Rook and Lainey! These two are just perfect for each other. Rook is trying to be the best person he can be on and off the ice. He strives to be a respected team leader and a good role model and loves playing hockey but his popularity can be overwhelming. When a beautiful woman falls on his lap on the flight to Alaska he braces himself for the reaction he usually gets when a woman sees him. However, Lainey doesn’t recognize him and to say it was refreshing would be an understatement.

"Here on this plane I’m not the NHL forward and team captain with a history of being a player on and off the ice. I’m just a guy, and she’s just a girl."

Lainey is anxious, quiet, and super smart. She was homeschooled and everything having to do with traveling is new. She is unsure, a little awkward, sweet as can be, and completely endearing. Her character is real and I found myself drawn to her and her challenges immediately.

Lainey is fun and different and Rook finds himself intrigued by her. He introduces himself as RJ, the name his siblings use, thus taking away his reputation so he can be just a regular guy. He can be himself without expectations and he loves that she doesn’t throw herself at him. She genuinely wants to get to know him and he seems to calm her nerves which makes it easy for them to enjoy each other’s company.

These two are fantastic together. Rook and Lainey share a connection and their relationship is fun and natural, and even though their feelings sneak up on them quickly, I love that they take their time. It doesn’t feel rushed. It’s sensual and emotional, beautiful and tender, and I fell for them as a couple. Then, they are pulled apart in a heartbreaking way, and neither are left unscathed.

"I wish I’d started this with the truth instead of a lie, because it’s too late to take it back . . ."

When Rook and Lainey see each other over a year later, it’s a shock. Things have changed for both of them and their chance meeting will once again flip their lives upside down.

"I should tell him my own truth. But for now we’re tied: a lie for a lie."

I loved seeing Rook and Lainey reconnect. All of the feelings they tried to get over come rushing back. It’s emotional and real. Rook is even more amazing. He is all in even when Lainey has her reservations. He is patient and sweet and totally swoony, and I fell harder for him with ever page I turned. Lainey is strong and brave. She has such a huge heart and I loved that she did her best to make a life for herself away from her over protective parents.  I respected her and her decisions and I am glad she follows her heart because these two are meant to be.

Overall, A Lie for a Lie is a sweet, entertaining, heartwarming romance that will make you believe in fate and second chances. It’s the first book in the All In series, and I cannot wait for more!!

I'll add that lovers of the hilarious Pucked series will be thrilled to get cameos of Pucked characters having so much fun. I loved seeing their friendships remain strong and roles they all play in Rook and Lainey’s lives.

*ARC generously provided by NetGalley*

4.5 STARS!!

A Lie for a Lie, is a sexy second chance romance, standalone, and the spin-off of one of my top favorite reads, the Pucked series. This was a fabulous start to the brand new series, All In. I was hooked from page one.

Rook and Lainey's story is deliciously sexy, fun, and heartfelt. But will all of their lies, and distrust destroy their chance at happiness? I really loved and enjoyed following their journey.

The story is beautifully well written, and the character development is fantastic. I love Rook and Lainey's chemistry, and their connection. He's a swoon-worthy hero who will keep you turning the pages.

All in all, A Lie for a Lie is swoony, sexy, sweet, and packed with memorable characters from the amazing Pucked series. What more can I ask for?

Rook is a professional hockey player who loves the game but is growing weary of being revered by all for his sexy looks and his hockey skills and not for the man he is. He decides to head to Alaska as it holds great memories and it will give him the rest and relaxation that he needs.

Lainey is looking forward to being independent so that she can have all the experiences she ever dreamed of. She never expected that her first plane ride would bring her and Rook together and that they would spend a summer together that they would never forget until life forces them apart and they don’t know how to contact the other.

A year later fate brings the together but when secrets and truths are revealed will they realize that all they can never be more than a fling, or will they realize that the love they have for each other is forever?

Witty banter, hot chemistry and all the feels between a swoon worthy hockey player and a woman who is stronger than even she realized add up to a wonderful story that will keep you entertained until the last page.

★★ 4.5 stars! ★★

Hockey-writing Helena is my favorite Helena. I love all of her stories, but sports romances and the Pucked world is one of my favorites. When I found out that the All In series would be a continuation of that series, I couldn’t be more excited. A Lie for a Lie was exactly what I’ve come to expect from Helena Hunting!

A Lie for a Lie follows Rook (aka RJ), who became team captain after the retirement Alex Waters, and Lainey, a quirky perpetual college student he meets on a plane during trip to Alaska. RJ is a reformed womanizer who just wants to rest, unplug, and not be a famous athlete for a couple of months during the off-season. When a hot woman literally falls into his lap, he’s immediately intrigued, especially since she doesn’t seem to recognize him.

Lainey is a sheltered and naïve multi-degreed college student who comes from a large, protective family. Heading to Alaska to study marine animals is the perfect escape from the oppressiveness while also observing dolphins and whales in their natural habitat. An embarrassing plane ride later, Lainey and RJ find out that they are neighbors —and these two take “neighborly love” to a whole new level.

A Lie for a Lie is such a sweet and swoony romance, and I couldn’t get enough of RJ and Lainey. Their whirlwind romance in the bubble of a cabin in Alaska, the circumstances that tore them apart for over a year, and the enduring attraction when they reconnect in Chicago is perfection. It’s emotional and surprising and just the right level of heat and groveling. Lainey is adorkably nerdy and RJ is charming and sweet, which makes for the best combination.

The cameos from beloved Pucked characters and their families, plus the introduction of new secondary characters, adds another layer of enjoyment to the story. However, I don’t recommend expecting the same rom-com style as that of Pucked. A Lie for a Lie is much more serious and emotionally-charged, but I adored it. And I can’t wait for more!

Helena Hunting is a newer for me author and I am loving reading her words. In A Lie for a Lie, we get a fun rom-com about second chances with great characters and a story you easily get lost in. Rook needs to get away. An NHL player, his life is a constantly filled with the demands of a famous and popular athlete. So, he decides to escape to Alaska. What he did expect was the woman that literally fell on his lap.

Rook and Lainey spend a blissful few weeks together. It was perfect, but then life step in and they spent a year separated until life intervened again. Can they have a second chance? This was such a sweet and charming story that was heartfelt and fun.

Loved it! Happy reading!

4.5 Omission Stars
* * * *1/2 Spoiler Free
Oh, Ms. Hunting... How I love you so. Your writing hits the mark and gives me hours of joy. Your creativity, ability to draw us in, and cause us to care deeply for your characters is your M.O.

So since I finished this in practically one sitting...Work and Real Life got in the way...
I offer up...

A Truth for a Truth...

A famous Hockey Player wishes to be appreciated for just the person he is...not what All the Fame Brings-Truth
When given the opportunity on a trip to Alaska to be a "Normal Regular Guy" with a woman, he doesn't share what a big-time sports star he is...Understandable-Truth

A young Brainy yet Sort of Sheltered woman who has never flown before keeps crossing path with Big, Safe Cuddly Man-Truth
Said Woman has very Overly Concerned Parents and this causes her to try to do things on her own-Truth

After a few justified meetings of these two, a Bubble Romance develops-Truth
A very Hot Romance- Yup, Yes-Hot Truth

There is a Hiccup, though-Truth
But Both were Really Smitten and Sad due to Hiccup-Truth

The Best, One Year Passes and Bam, this Couple is Back in Touch-Truth
The woman is not about to Rollover and Hockey Player has a lot of "Splaining" to do- Serious Truth

So with all of these truths...what more could there be...

An Alpha Male who learns what to do to win his woman back and have her in his life for real.
A woman whom others have thought was frail was in fact extremely strong, capable and willing to do whatever was necessary to live an independent life.

Lucky Her, Lucky Him and Most of all, Lucky Us... Ms. Hunting came up with this tale. Total, For Real Truth...

Also, Ms. Hunting has another book coming for this series...but I am not interested in it at all- Total, Total LIE!

First let me start by saying, I am adamantly against lying. Yes, yes, we all are right? Psh, we all say that. But I have “truth” tattooed on my body in latin because it means that much to me. So whenever I go into books where the MC is lying, I never know if I’ll be able to get into them. Well, I LOVED this damn book. I think both characters’ lies by omission were for valid reasons, and they messed up, but that’s what makes them human. I’m so glad the story brings them back together, and we get to see just how great a guy Rook is. Even though they lied, they are never malicious. There is this underlying goodness about what they are trying to do, and I love seeing them figure out how to move past the lies. This book had so many elements I’m in love with and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thank you to Social Butterfly and Montlake Romance for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is so good!
I read it in one sitting and had a lot of laugh out loud moments as well as Heartbreaking ones and swooned over RJ so many times.
Although I don’t usually read books with the twist founded at around 70% in , I enjoyed this one because it’s the same great writing style, flawed characters and a love story that won’t go smoothly before it can bloom at it’s fullest.
I needed to search how dolphins are matting, honestly that scene was hilarious.
Can’t wait to read the next book!

A Lie for a Lie is a delightful story between an awkward genius and a hockey player who just wants to be 'unknown' for a while. I loved the setting in Alaska; thats a unique setting and Hunting does a good job of making you feel a part of that setting. I also loved the meet-cute between Lainey and "RJ" because it is so something I could see happening. It was just one of those super embarrassing things that happen and it was really endearing.

The story has a slow burn feel to it because these two initially don't really know each other, but they are attracted to one another. Then, when they start acting on their feelings, they both decide not to rush. Anytime a couple is forced together in an isolated location I think it builds a really interesting love story. Both Lainey and RJ are likable characters that show maturity and there isn't the games that some characters play. Rook is seriously swoon worthy. He is primo book boyfriend material for sure! While part of the story takes place in Alaska, that is the past. These two meet up again, by chance, a year later in Chicago and they both have some 'splain' to do.

It wouldn't be called a Lie for a Lie if Lainey and RJ were being totally honest with each other. RJ is really Rook, a professional hockey player. He is thrilled that Lainey didn't  know who he was and he could be a little anonymous; she obviously wasn't a "puck bunny".  Lainey keeps a secret too but Rook doesn't find out for awhile. I LOVED the Alaska part of the story. I enjoyed the Chicago part, but not as much. I felt like when they were in Chicago and back to "reality", there was some unnecessary angst and y'all know I can't stand that. Thankfully, Rook has a sister who keeps him from being a clueless man! But, I will say, A Lie for a Lie is still pretty low angst overall and for that I am grateful!

I really wanted to love this. Helena Hunting is an author that I have enjoyed almost all of what I have read from. Unfortunately I couldn’t connect with this one. The heroine felt to me immature and that had a negative impact on my reading experience.

I will not be sharing my opinions on this title outside of NetGalley.