This was a fun and sweet book. Surprisingly I hadn’t read a hockey trope book before but loved it! The sport is fun to watch, even if I know as little as Andie does 😂

This had great banter and chemistry. I like that it highlighted that therapy can be beneficial and that grown men can cry! Mitch is a big teddy bear, even if he looks like the grizzly bear type.

Andie had a huge change in her life and is getting the hang of parenting her brother. I can’t imagine how hard that would be. Plus a great group of hockey players that I hope get their own books in this series.

I felt the climax at the end ended too quickly that the reader didn’t see more of the drama/aftermath. I wanted more in the epilogue if it would say anything but nope.

This is my first Leah Brunner book and it won’t be my last. Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for the alc, audio copy. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

Go many green flags!
- This book didn't have a third act breakup
- The relationship was earned
- The flawed characters sought help outside of each other
- Hockey
- grumpy/sunshine
I loved Mitch and his growth. He starts out as a grumpy lone wolf, but finds family in his team and learns to control his temper. Andie and her brother Noah are figuring out how life works now without their parents.
Audio was great! Loved the dual POV, will look for more books by Leah Brunner!

This book is such a cute, quick, and easy read that was perfect for our first week back to school. I really enjoyed the characters and especially the growth we see from Mitch, the bad boy of hockey. I look forward to reading more of Leah Brunner's books in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Dreamscape Media for my ALC. All opinions here are my own.

I love hockey romance and this cover looked cute so I was immediately drawn to this audiobook. This story focuses on Mitch, a tall dark and broody hockey player with a rough past, and Andie, a sweet ICU nurse who is raising her brother after their parents die suddenly.

After a suspension from hockey Mitch is forced to be the assistant coach to a youth league where he meets Andie’s brother who is on the team. Sparks fly from their first encounter and hostler this book was just way too cute. The dual narration was so fun and i was laughing and smiling throughout the book. This is a closed door romance and I honestly did not miss the steamy scenes because the story was just so good. I looked up the series and already have my eyes set on the next book when it comes out.

If you love audiobooks, dual narration, hockey romance, grumpy vs. sweet, clean romance this is one to check out.

Desire or Defense by Leah Brunner
4.5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

•••Spoiler free review below•••

This was the perfect listen for a Tuesday that feels like a Monday! I love a good hockey romance and this one was so sweet. We follow Mitch - a grouchy hockey player with a 15 game suspension - and Andie - a stubborn but peppy ICU nurse who has been newly named her brother's legal guardian. Andie doesn't care at all about hockey and has no problem yelling at Mitch, the newly appointed assistant coach to her little brother's hockey league. Mitch is supposed to use the assistant coach position to help clean up his image but, with any luck, will find a way to get more out of the job than he could have dreamed.

Read this book if you like:
- grumpy x sunshine
- hockey romance
- NO third act breakup!!!!
- sloooowwwww burn
- excellent topic discussions of grief and mental health

Desire or Defense is out NOW in paperback and on KU but has been newly released in audio. If it's not already on your tbr, it should be!
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Special thanks to Dreamscape Media for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Two things to know about me: I don't typically re-read books. And I'm not a huge audiobook listener.

But I loved Desire or Defense so much when I read it earlier in the year (one of my favorites still so far this year), that when I saw the audiobook, I found myself excited to go back and revisit the story again. And honestly, it was every bit as wonderful the second time around.

First and foremost, the book itself--- such a fantastic story. Grumpy/sunshine happens to be one of my favorite tropes so I've read about a LOT of grumps... and Mitch hands down is one of the first that comes to mind when asked my favorite. So well written, and I love watching his growth as the story progresses. Mental health was a big part of this story, and I loved how it normalized therapy! The banter was fantastic, the romance was amazing, and the side characters made me even more excited to read the rest of the series to come. This is a closed-door romance with some language and fade to black scene between a married couple. It was definitely a little heavier on the innuendo than many that I read and as such might not be for all readers/listeners, but it is ultimately closed-door. If that does not bother you, I cannot recommend this book enough.

As for the audio, it was also great! Again, as I'm not usually one to listen to audiobooks, I don't have a whole lot to compare it to, and it's definitely not my preferred way to experience a book... but I found it enjoyable nonetheless. I felt like the narrators did a great job of bringing these characters to life!

Whether you read it or listen to it or a combination of the two, this is absolutely one not to be missed.


**I received a complimentary audiobook for consideration. All opinions are my own.

Mitch is a cranky curmudgeon-like professional hockey player who takes his pent up frustration and anger out on the ice, but it is always just simmering below the surface. That works until it doesn’t and he gets suspended and if forced into therapy and to redeem his image has to spend some time being a youth hockey league coach with a photographer and his truly awful manager shadowing him just for fun. He is not amused and even less so when he meets Andi, one of the players guardians. She knows absolutely nothing about hockey, is absolutely clueless as to who he is or the level of his fame and initially comes off as, in my opinion as more than a bit obnoxious. Part hockey mom (yes really big sister, but hockey moms are a truly tough crowd, think momager), which is kind of tough when she knows nothing about the sport, part tiger big sister trying to hold it together for she and her brother who are both grieving the tragic loss of their parents while adjusting to their new normal and part I’m a little bit better than you because you’re just a big jock on skates to Mitch. They both grow as individuals and as a couple on their road to their happily ever. It’s a common trope, yet is sweet, funny, smart, loving and addresses some real couple problems that they work through together. All in all a fun listen with enjoyable narration.

Loved this book! Can't wait for the next books of this series!!!
The narration was wonderful💗

Thank you netgalley, the author & the producer for the ALC.

Was this the most amazing thing I have ever read? No not really. Did it pass the time and was fairly enjoyable? Sure! Average plot with average characters. The romance was okay. I don’t think I will remember this book in a couple of days.

Liked the emphasis on mental health and healthy relationships. I listened to the audiobook (through NerGalley) and I think they picked the perfect male narrator for Mitch “The Machine” Anderson 🤣👍 looking forward to other books in this series!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I enjoyed this story of loss and love, and giving people a chance. The addition of hockey players just made it that much better.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of "Desire or Defense" by Leah Brunner.

Our two main characters are Andy (who is the guardian to her youngest brother) and Mitch (grumpy ex-professional hockey player). After getting into a fight on the ice Mitch is sent to coach a boy's hockey team which is where the two meet. Even though this was a romance book there was a lot of backstory as far as grief goes, so bring your tissues! There was some great banter and chemistry between the two main characters which I really enjoyed. This is a fabulous one-day read that I would recommend to any rom-com lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun romance. I loved the grumpy meets sunshine trope in this book and think it was well done. I felt so much for Mitch and was so happy to see him become happy and less grumpy throughout the book. Andie was such a sweet main character and I loved how she stepped in to be a parent to her brother after their parents death.

I love me some hockey romances. This story was very cute and heartfelt. I love it when prickly characters soften after meeting their love interests. There was a ton of character development for Big Man in this book. In the beginning, he had anger issues and was getting in trouble out on the rink. He definitely needed to meet Andie to get to where he needed to be at the end of the book.

This book was adorable but not very spicy if that's what you are looking for. this is more of a heartfelt love story. The ending made my heart so happy so I definitely recommend it if that's what you're looking for.

Well with all the popularity of hockey romance books I certainly couldn't request this one fast enough. It definitely delivered all the feels. The banter between the two main characters was exactly what I was looking for. Funny, sweet, romantic and overall a great listen. I highly recommend.

3 Things I’m Grateful For:
1. Books that make me laugh
2. Books that make me feel
3. Books with characters that are real

No shy and demur heroine. No stoic and “manly” hero. These characters are real and vulnerable and beyond relatable.

I highly suggest the audiobook option.

Andy is the primary carer for her younger brother after they are killed in a car accident nine months ago. They’re dealing with grief, their new dynamic and developing routines around work, school and hockey. Mitch is a grumpy professional hockey player who is suspended for weeks after his temper gets the best of him during a game. He is sent to coach a local kids hockey team to try and rebuild his image.

Mitch’s bathtub scene had me cackling during my early morning commute to work and their kinda cringe flirting had me smiling to myself often. Also, I’m with Mitch about hugs. They’re the best.

It was funny, sweet and a little bit sad. They both have trauma and grief that they’re dealing with, while also trying to help out young Noah with his own grief and anger. The narrators were good and I enjoyed their back and forth. Will definitely be on the lookout for other books in the series.

Oh, I also liked the mental health rep with them going to therapy or talking about how it helped them. We love a guy who works on himself.

CN for parent substance abuse, grief, death (off page)

Thanks to #NetGallery and the publisher. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
POV: Dual
Spice: None
Age suggestion: 16+

3 Not sure what you meant by that stars.

Who doesn’t love a hockey romance?

Who doesn’t love the grumpy/sunshine trope?

Obviously I do, so I scooped this up immediately.

Basically, big grumpy hockey player Mitch gets in trouble and must coach a youth hockey team for some good PR. Enter Andie, the older sister of Noah, one of his new students, whom promptly stomps onto the ice to tell him about himself when he gets cranky with the kids.

This was cute! I enjoyed the build up of the relationship between Mitch and Noah. I felt like Andie and Mitch were a good match. There was good banter and some irl chuckles had.
My favorite parts were the side characters and their shenanigans. Looking forward to their stories!

That being said, this came off a bit…. Sanctimonious?
The whole, “I don’t curse, like “dirty” romance novels, and I’m saving myself for marriage for no specific reason”, bit was… jarring? I know many of us joke about non-spicy romance, but that’s the thing, it’s a joke. This wreaked of judgement, and I really didn’t care for that at all. Could just be me, but there it is all the same.

Other than that I felt like the obstacle in the 3rd act was …. Bland? It really wasn’t that serious, and the villain seemed kind of random and not developed enough. It has definite potential if it were beefed up a bit.

Overall this was still cute and I will read the next installment and hope the Judginess is toned down a bit.

Check it out Now!

A big thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book!

First you have Mitch, the MMC. He is so grumpy, and his temper is off the charts. So bad, that he gets suspended from the NHL and has to coach kid’s hockey to rehab his image.

Then you have Andie, the FMC. She is an ICU nurse, who has recently become the guardian to her 11 year old brother. She is extra sassy and will defend her brother at all costs.

The meet cute was perfection. It was playful but serious. The banter, tension and chemistry between the characters was glorious. I mean, I had butterflies! I squealed multiple times.

All the characters in this book have such depth. There are intense back stories and trauma. There is therapy that is talked about openly. There is growth.

And the narrators were so perfect. Mitch's voice was deep and growly like I imagined it to be. And Andy's was spot on as well.

I loved it.

I love love love this book! This audio is fantastic though, and they really bring the book to life. I’m so excited to keep reading Leah’s works. She’s a great writer.