This was fun! I love hockey romance it was a cute hockey romance that I highly recommend. The narrators were perfect.

I absolutely loved this audiobook! I love this author and her writing style, and I can’t wait to read more from her!

This was just okay. The narrators were at times speaking too softly to hear what they were saying so I had to keep adjusting the volume. That got really tedious. In addition to the volume issues, they often sounded like they were mumbling/slurring words. Part of this might be because I was listening at 2x speed but I listen to other books and don't have this issue.

Mitch's obsession with her "outie" belly button was strange... the story itself was okay. Gruff, angry hockey player gets in trouble for being too angry and has to coach a team of kids for a month. Said hockey player falls for sassy older sister of one of the kids on the team. They struggle being a couple in the limelight. Everyone gets therapy. I appreciate that everyone got therapy for their various issues and highlighted that it's important following any kind of trauma or tragedy to work through feelings before they impact your life for years.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

The story is nice enough, as someone who reads a lot of jockey romance it didn’t stand out but was still enjoyable

“I wonder if she understands how much I give her. Everything. I give her everything.”

Excuse me this cover? I’m in love (with him).

This book was so cute. I loved Andie and Mitch’s individual backstories which made their romance so much better for me. I loved seeing them overcome their own traumas while actually dealing with the initial hockey plot line. Them handling their own personal journeys made the slow burn worth it, cause I feel that when the characters have no substance, then their dependant on the tension.

And then reading athlete romance audiobooks was so cute sksks.

Noah was also a sweetheart.

(I may have impulse borrowed the prequel and next book before even starting this one).

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!<m

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for this advanced audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a grumpy sunshine hockey romance with no third-act breakup (which I appreciate). I found Mitch and Andie's story really sweet. Although a closed-door romance (no spice y'all), I still loved the slow-burn progression of the story. The two had excellent banter and chemistry and I love a dual POV novel. I couldn't help but root for the two characters. They are each working through past traumas and learning how to move forward. I like that it didn't have any unnecessary drama and showed that you didn't need any to create a touching story. I loved watching Mitch slowly open up with everyone and not only create his own little family with Andie and Noah but realize he had one all along with his teammates. Showing that just because you never had something doesn't mean you aren't deserving of it.

Desire or Defense was everything I needed in a hockey sports romance! It was a grump/sunshine sports romance spun with charm and humor. Mitch and Andie had apparent chemistry, and their characters were well-developed. I highly recommend reading this book. I will be diving into the next book in the series soon. I also enjoyed the narration, it added an extra element by hearing the story.

What a really fantastic clean romance. The chemistry was fantastic and the story was so engrossing that it supported being a clean romance. Andi and Mitch are perfect for each together even if it took awhile for them to figure it out.

Thas was such a good opening of the series
I loved this one. And audio was just iff the hook. 4 starstbor this book

I’m cleaning up my Feedback bookshelf and trying to give reviews for past books I’ve read. I listened to this as an audiobook and recall that I really enjoyed the two narrators. The storyline kept me interested and the characters were developed with their own flaws, insecurities, quirks, and humor. Thanks for the advanced reader copy!

The discussion of grief was very important and integral to Desire or Defense and was well done. However, I did not care for much else of this book, especially the romance. I did not buy their chemistry, and that could in part be due to the narrators' performances. I didn't feel like their voices gelled together as we switched the perspectives throughout the chapters. I thought that Dane Anderson lacked emotion, so I never felt compelled to really engage with his chapters.
Also, they were not ever enemies. Did they get off on the wrong foot? Sure, but that is not enemies or even rivals.

Desire or Defense is the perfect low angst starter hockey romance for anyone new to the hockey romance scene. Don’t get me wrong, this book dealt with a lot of emotions regarding parental trauma and grief, but it handles it very well.

I also love how the main couple help each other through their tough times and actually communicate through misunderstandings or when they make a mistake toward each other.

The relationship between the FMC’s brother and the MMC is just so cute and amazing and made me love this book even more!

I loved this one. It doesn’t have a ton of great reviews but I’m giving it 5 stars. The male character was great. He was the hot headed burley guy we all love to list after. Add the female character who stepped up to take care of her brother and her cute brother. Plus some sports in the mix…It’s a win from me.

🌀Synopsis
Mitch has anger issues. He doesn’t want to let people in. He just wants to play hockey and live in his little world. He doesn’t even want to let the team in. When he finally gets one too many penalties, it’s time to make a change. The league agrees to let him do some community service and take some counseling sessions to return to the league.
As it turns out, his community service is going to be to help coach a youth league. One of his players also seems to have some anger issues too and he ends up getting pretty close to him. Which also allows him to get closer to his older sister as well.
For the first time, Mitch wants to be close to them. He wants to open up and he finds himself falling in love with her. Of course the media blows it out of proportion and the two must decide if they are truly willing to go through it to be together.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This audiobook was perfection. The narrators were perfect and really brought the characters to life. I loved Andy and Mitch. Their dynamic was perfect. Leah did an awesome job with these two.

Have contemporary romance books been disappointing you recently?
Have you been itching to find a sports romance that isn’t steaming off the shelves, too hot to touch ;) (im not judging if this isn’t you)
Or are you just needing that next 5 star home run—Or whatever the equivalent term in hockey is…

I LOVED Desire or Defense. I knew I would love whatever Leah Brunner put out, her books are always just the right amount of steam without making your grandmother blush, but enough that gets those butterflies going.

Y’all. Grumptastic. Mitch is the perfection of Grumpy man. I loved him and didn’t find him to be rude. I hate when our MMC is so grumpy that he’s really just a jerk with the title of grump, excusing his behavior. Nooooo Mitch is fantastically grumpy. He has the fineapple title nailed. Prickly on the outside, sweet and golden on the inside. And has the dayyyyyuuuuummmm fine looks. ;)

And! There’s depth. Y’all. Depth. Our characters and storyline are mature. I’m not rolling my eyes saying, “ugh. Cheesy and wouldn’t ever happen” or cringing. Nope. Absolute perfection. Have I said that enough?

You need this book. Go preorder it now. I’m gonna be grabbing myself a copy for my favorites shelf.


TW/content: fade to black between married couple, closed door. Parental abandonment; dealing with family member deaths. Some language throughout but it didn’t detract from the story for me, just a heads up for others.

Andie is hard at work. She gives her all at her job and then goes home to her kid brother to take care of him after their parents' unfortunate passing. She doesn't have time for anything else, let alone her brother's new coach, Mitch, who clearly has some anger issues. If he can't even keep it together to play in the NHL, how is he the right man to lead impressionable boys?
This was a diverting audiobook to listen to during my work week. I didn't adore it as much as the hype surrounding it would make one believe, but I liked it quite a bit and am very interested in continuing the series. I especially enjoyed the performance of the female narrator, Alex Picard, while I found that Dane Anderson was a little too dry for my taste. But! I'm loving all the sports romances lately and may have happy danced to get this in my earbuds.
I will say that I made a mistake in listening to this while simultaneously reading another hockey romance on my Kindle. I think the comparisons between the two were pretty hard to avoid and I may have enjoyed both more had I had some distance between the two.
Thank you to Dreamscape and Netgalley for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

Unfortunately, I was not drawn into this story. I was immediately turned of from the MMC and couldn't get past it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc. I enjoyed this book so much. Could not put it down. I am not a hockey fan but I would totally watch if Mitch was real. The dialogue between Mitch and Andie is so funny to hear and their connection is instant. This book also handled seeing a therapist so well, for adult and children. A must read.