Another fantastic, funny, spicy and super enjoyable read from Avery Flynn ☺️☺️☺️

When it has to be the last time….over and over and over.

I loved this so so much! The dual narrators lent a more genuine depth to the characters, and both captured the mood and characters they were voicing fabulously.

As always, Flynn masterfully skirts the lines between amusing, sexy, romantic, and gripping, in this sports romcom. Well worth a listen indeed!

Post Date Recap: This book date was a setup. Translation: This is an ARC of Walk of Shame that I received from NetGalley to provide an unbiased review. Thank you to the team for allowing me this opportunity.

This review is for the audio book so I am going to start with the narrators Robert Hatchet and Savannah Peachwood were excellent choices as narrators. Despite being a lifelong romance reader (listen, I had access to spicy books much younger than should have been allowed), this story had moments that made me blush and push my earbud juuuuuust a little tighter in my ear to be sure no one could hear the content. So because listening gave me that reaction, I definitely have to give props to the narrators for managing to make a cut of the book without giggling.

That is NOT to say that the smexy times weren’t S.M.E.X.Y. because they certainly were, but I occasionally can have the mind of a 12 year old boy so take that for what it’s worth.

Also, before getting into the meat and potatoes of the review, let me just say that I LOVE the FMC’s name, Astrid. When reading a contemporary romance novel, there are a lot of really basic names that get used (and no hate at all because they are totally valid and when the names get too unique I am not always certain that I am pronouncing them correctly) so having something that breaks away from norms is awesome.

Astrid has kind of been through it. She was literally in-her-mother’s-gown-at-the-church levels of ready to get married to Tig when he calls and tells her that he is getting a job offer he can’t refuse with another hockey team and needs to leave RIGHT THEN even before saying “I Do.” Oh, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want to marry her (you have no idea how strongly I rolled my eyes at this), but just that hockey comes first and he needs to do what is best for his career. And just like you’d expect, he frames it as being “the best thing for them.” Yeah, add another eye roll to the count for this one.

That incites Astrid’s dick world tour as she travels the globe and racks up one-night stands along the way. She doesn’t just take back her girl power, she also develops a deep seated hatred for hockey which includes creating a “Fuck Hockey” jar that she puts out at the bar she fills in as bartender for and requires everyone to pay up when they bring up the sport in her presence. All of this despite the fact her dad is a hockey coach. Specifically her ex-fiancee’s hockey coach.

Cal is the complete opposite. He loves hockey more than some people love their partner and when a horrific injury takes him out of being a goalie, he comes back as a “goalie whisperer” who can manage to turn around practically any broken player. Lucky for him, he is saddled with the one and only Tig Jones… Astrid’ ex.

Despite everything in their lives stacking up against them and making them each completely off limits to the other, their amazing sexual chemistry and a fair amount of small town overlap throws them together time and time again. Walk of Shame isn’t a life changing book, but it definitely is an easy, spicy read that was a fun treat.

My biggest complaint is the epilogue and I won’t spoil it for anyone, but Tig DID NOT have anywhere near the redemption arc to warrant that little bit of info and, if this is meant to tease for another book in the series, I don’t think he was likable enough for me to feel compelled to read it.

4.75🌟 Audiobook. I laughed and ate up all the banter in this story. If there’s anything that gets me hooked on a book it’s the banter, if it’s got a favorite trope (like hockey romance), and has just the right about of spice. 👩‍🍳💋chef’s kiss to all in this one.

The narration was dual to go along with the dual POV and I really enjoyed listening to the story. Normally I have a physical or ebook to go with my audiobooks but I didn’t feel like I was lacking in my reading experience by only having the audio for this one!

Narrated by Robert Hatchet and Savannah Peachwood.

Thank you NetGalley, RB Media, and Recorded Books for the eARC of Walk of Shame by Avery Flynn (audiobook) in exchange for my honest review.

I alternated between the audiobook and the e-book on this one. The narrations by Robert Hatchet and Savannah Peachwood were very good. I always love the different voices for the different characters, especially in romances when you get the deep rumble. So good for the hot parts.

I have read several Avery Flynn books before and have always really enjoyed them. I struggled getting into this one, but it easily could have been that I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for it.

This is a sports romance, in which Astrid is having to deal with the ex that left her at the altar years ago and also the man she got it on with from a bar. She has lots of no getting it on rules that she lives by, but can she stick to them when she finds herself having to work with the hot guy from the bar?

Thanks to Entangled Publishing, Valentine PR, RB Media and NetGalley for the copies. All thoughts are my own.

I have read books by Avery Flynn before and was really looking forward to listening to this one. I really enjoy hockey romance stories, but unfortunately, I did not connect with the female lead and whilst I realised it would be spicy I felt that this took the place of a good plot. The narrators were great but it wasn't for me I'm afraid.

I usually love Avery Flynn books but this one was just fine. I thought both narrators were fantastic and I loved how they read the story. My issue was with the main female character. I thought her actions did not make sense with things we had been shown about her in the book. I felt like her actions would have been fine if the author had not established that the FMC has been seeing a therapist for awhile before the book started. Once that fact was established I kept finding myself getting angry with the FMC’s actions.

Astrid has a 1 night stand, this is what she is used to. But when she realizes he lives upstairs from her and is on her father’s hockey team things get interesting! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

Walk Of Shame is a hot hockey romantic comedy, as you know I love a good hockey romance. Unfortunately, this one did not do it for me. Something was missing for me between the two main characters and the whole storyline.

It started off really well and I was invested, it's probably the only reason I continued it. But once the spice started I felt like the plot just got stagnant. Their relationship was very superficial, I didn't feel any growth.

I didn't feel the love between them or was truly rooting for them. I needed more yearning and angst to make me crave them together. I really wanted to love it more, but it fell flat for me.

🎧 The narration by Robert Hatchet & Savannah Peachwood was very enjoyable they made me stick through the story with their performance. They were funny and played their parts well.

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley & RB Media for my free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC (Advanced Listener Copy)!

Walk of shame is the second book in the downside to dating series, though it can be read as a standalone.

Astrid has decided that dating is no longer for her after being left at the alter by her childhood sweetheart. Years later she has perfected the art of one night stands. She meets Cal who she can’t seem to stay away from despite the fact that they have to work together.

The attraction was strong with these two! They tried so hard to stay away and keep things professional. Cal is sweet and swoon worthy! I loved the growth we got to see from Astrid over time as she got closer to Cal. She finally found someone who was worth of her time and attention. Cal helped her heal in a way she didn’t even know she needed.

Robert Hatchet and Savannah Peachwood do a fantastic job bringing the story of life. I like that each character had their own voice, it all blended very well together! They are both new to me narrators and I can’t wait go hear more from them!

Very spicy. Not much plot. There is a lot of chemistry between the two main characters but not much else. The audiobook narrators for Astrid was great. Her performance felt nuanced - as nuanced as it could be with the character. There were some plusses when it came to the supporting characters. I enjoyed Astrid's dad along with his supporting hockey family. Overall, there are a ton of hockey and hockey adjacent romances on the market today and this wasn't the best.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read and enjoyed Flynn's precious works

I was not expecting to like this one as much as I did!! It had spice and wit! I was laughing and crying while reading. What a fun read.

Sexy and full of fun banter!! Bailey really brings the spice in this one!! I was laughing all the way through! Love how easy and fun this book was the time flew by.

(audiobook) There wasn’t much of a story–they meet, they have what’s supposed to be a one night stand, but they end up working together, they seduce each other, one tiny setback then happily ever after. The characters and their struggles were interesting though, and it was a lot of fun, and a lot of sexy.

After being left at the altar, Astrid writes off serious relationships and hockey at the same time. Cal is supposed to be one more notch on her bedpost, except the man lives in her building, and he works for the hockey team her father coaches. Where her dad asks her to come back to work. With the groom that never was. Too many complications for someone who’s trying to figure out her life.

Cal isn’t that more stable. He’s just lost the one thing that was most important in his life: his career as a hockey player, after a serious injury. This job as a coach is his one chance at staying relevant. But what happens when he realizes there are things more important than hockey?

Their relationship is what helps them heal, help them going forward. They support each other right from the start, which was nice, since they barely know each other. But there’s an instant connection between them. They also have great interactions with other characters–their family, their friends, their co-workers, even their so called enemies. The book works a lot on conversations and interactions. That’s where you find the funny, and the deep feelings too.

As for the level of steam, it’s pretty high. Astrid and Cal start with a bang, and they never let go. There definitely is a lot of attraction between them.

I’d have liked to have a more developped plot, but it works as it is. There are still some interesting themes like relationships with family members. And great side characters.

And the narration is perfect. The female narrator expresses all nuances of Astrid–her strengths and her softer side–and the male narrator’s voice matches with older Cal. They both give life to their character, and they sound good in the duet style texting chapters. Spot on on the funny and the sexy.

Quickie

- Series: Downside of dating #2 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #hockey romance #workplace romance #age gap
- Triggers: N/A
- Main couple: Astrid O’Malley & Cal Madsen
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 5/5
- + how Cal seduces Astrid
- – such a thin plot

Goodness! I love me some Avery Flynn. I was excited about Walk of Shame and loved listening to it. I am not great at audio books, but this one had my workouts flying. The two narrators Robert Hatchet and Savannah Peachwood are both spot on with the voices for Cal and Astrid. Even though is not a duet I still heard their respective voices in my mind. Very funny and very spicy. Avery Flynn knocks it out of the park with laugh out loud RomCom and spicy spiciness. So good.

I am definitely in my sports romance era and this book kicked so many goals for me. I listened to this as an audio book and the narrators, Robert Hatchet and Savannah Peachwood, were amazing! Mind you Robert could read my shopping list and it would sound hot. However, I really enjoyed the plot and the character growth of both main characters. The dual POV worked really well. The spice was fantastic! Overall a great listen.

I had no idea Avery Flynn wrote so many books. I'll be going back to read her back catalogue.

Big thanks to Netgalley, RB Media and Avery Flynn for an early release copy of this audio book in exchange for my honest review.

If you love sports directed rom-coms with heavy spice, you can't go wrong with Avery Flynn and this book follows suit.

Astrid grew up on the ice with her hockey coach dad. When her goalie fiance dumps her at the altar for another hockey opportunity, she is done with men and done with hockey. Until a stranger comes in to shake up her hockey hating ways...

#netgalley
#walkofshame

This was an enjoyable contemporary romance, with some spicy scenes and excellent narrators, but it didn’t feel particularly memorable to me and I actually found myself wanting a bit more angst (something I rarely search for) and more of an emotional connection. I’m admittedly not a fan of insta-lust anyway, but at the very least I need something more to believe in the couple. They had some banter and the Diet Coke surprises were fun, but I felt like I was missing something.

One thing I will take from this book though is the relaxation trick to picture a porch swing, swinging back and forth as you inhale and exhale, slowing the rate of your breath as you slowly swing back and forth. That one works well for me!

I found this romance to be based more on sex than any emotional connection. I didn't feel anything towards the characters despite the story being mildly interesting. I do enjoy hockey romances so maybe I'm more interested in hockey than I thought previously. I did enjoy the dual point of view and that came across really well in the audiobook. The narrators did a great job bringing life to this book.

This audiobook was so cute! I really enjoyed it and I will be picking up a copy of it as well. I liked the flow of the book and the fact that it wasn't *Instalove* Don't get me wrong, I love a good instalove story, but this is more "I like him but don't want to admit it to myself." However, I didn't find it to be annoying, it was actually really cute. Very steamy, but also an amazing plot. It had a not seen before plot line, which was fresh and new for me. The spice was SPICY, but it didn't seem unrealistic. Astrid was such a well-developed character, who came across confident at times, as well as well as shy in other situations. I really enjoyed how Astrid developed over the course of the book. Cal was so perfect too. Their banter made me laugh out loud and they both pulled at my heartstrings throughout the book. The world building was very good and I could picture the world that the author put them in. I also really liked the narrator and the story didn't go too quickly or too slowly. Highly recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded books for this audiobook for review. I have read books by Avery Flynn before so I was excited to read another one. I didn’t know going in that this was book #2 in a series, but, honestly, it didn’t seem to matter. Main character is Astrid, whose life revolved around hockey, until 5 years ago when her super star professional hockey goalie fiancé stood her up at the wedding. Oh, and her dad is his coach. Since then, it’s been no attachments, no hockey. One night only fun times, until she meets a guy, hooks-up with him, only to later find out- he lives in her building AND works in hockey with father. What’s a girl to do?! Would have enjoyed more banter and storyline with the meet up/sexy times between these two, but overall this was short and fun. Audiobook was narrated both characters well and fit with each person’s personality and storylines.