In theory this should have worked so, so well on me. I love second chance romance, I love sports romance, I love a vague fake relationship where the rules are really unclear— this just didn’t hit like I wanted it to. I think part of it is that Natalie really, really annoyed me. Her behavior would make sense if she was in her twenties, but at her age I was like… HOW is she behaving like this. I also think the writing is fairly simple and didn’t really intrigue me or make me laugh, it was fairly rote, and it didn’t inspire me to continue the book during the slower parts.

I still had a fairly good time and it was fun to read during the Olympics!

What an incredible book! As a lesbian who grew up in the world of hockey, I had never understood the appeal of hockey romance until I read this book. Cochrane manages to balance the incredibly accurate attitude that is pervasive in the hockey world and can appear as rude, domineering, or cocky, with heart and care for the sport itself and the team it creates. Not only does she clearly understand the dynamics of the players, she understands how the sport itself works.
Not to mention the perfect second-chance romance! Never once did it feel like either main character was settling on their previous hurt in order to make the current relationship work. They talked and worked though their issues, which is all I can ask for for this trope.
Absolutely fabulous!

Wake Up Nat and Darcy
 
Fairly disappointing read but nothing badly offensive. It felt like a rushed trope-filled romance that at its core was a second chance romance but confusingly flicked between rivals to fake dating to friends with benefits  to lovers for no apparent reason. The story never really got deeper than surface level and so I felt disconnected from both characters. The internal narratives of both characters also got very repetitive. The story took a downturn toward the third act break-up because I just completely lacked empathy for the way Nat was acting. And it’s a shame because I love the idea of a rivals to lovers sports romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher, for the opportunity to receive an EArc in exchange for an honest review.

This book couldn’t have come at a better time on the heels of the inaugural PWHL season, and during an Olympic year this book was an easy YES for me to be excited about.

I enjoyed getting to know Nat as she navigates a mid life transition after being tied to her athletic identity. And I enjoyed getting to know Darcy as she tries to advance her career and continue to grow herself professionally.

Together, we we see Nat and Darcy during their college days and in present tense as a career opportunity brings them back together.

I overall enjoyed this story and am always a champion for sapphic romance in the throws of sports.

Some areas that gave me pause– there was some repetition and I don’t know if maybe the late night read got the best of me and my eyes were just uncharacteristically hyper focused on repetitive words but I think I read “swan dive” or some variation of it… one too many times. That isn’t to say it was appropriately used, I just think there may be other phrasing that could have made this story stronger… though admittedly this might just be my weakness.

The other area that stood out was the conflict or 3rd act breakup- the miscommunication or really just Nat’s disagreement with Darcy… This is personal opinion and I encourage you to have your own experience, but Nat was out of pocket and frankly made me really dislike her.

Anyway, I can be the most critical of the stories I appreciate the most. I look forward to reading more by Kate Cochrane, this fast paced and light hearted sports centric sapphic romance is a great read for anyone that finds those words sparking interest!

3.5. Nat has just been cut from the Olympic roster when she finds out she will be working along side her rival/ex/ Darcy. They haven’t spoken to each other in over a decade! You get the flashbacks to college to get a sense of what happened to caused the present day rivalry. The problems/miss communication gets a little repetitive. The olympic reporting was fun and this was an ok sports romance. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This fell a little flat to me. I LOVE sapphic romance, and I was eager for the Olympics bent. The pacing was slow for me, and the spice didn’t sparkle as much I as wished it would. Their banter was entertaining and fun, and I appreciate seeing women represented in as the players in hockey romances!

I was kind of disappointed in this book. I had such high hopes for a queer sports romance (especially in an Olympic year!) but this fell flat for me. For starters, it did not need to be 72 chapters long. I know the page count is closer to 350 but the number of chapters alone made this drag. I also wasn't a huge fan of the flashback chapters -- they didn't really add anything to the present-day story that Nat or Darcy hadn't already said. And the emotional punch was lacking from the prior breakup. I think it could have used some more editing, either with those scenes or with the segment scenes between Nat and Darcy; again, those just felt like unnecessary filler.

My biggest complaint though, is that Nat was completely out of line towards the end of the book. She was acting like an early 20something rather than the 40ish year old woman she was. I was behind Darcy and didn't think she had much to apologize for. In a dual POV book, I want to understand both characters POV, especially with the conflict, but I just couldn't get behind Natalie's behavior.

Honestly the more I'm writing this the more I am talking myself out of a three star review. I also didn't really get the chemistry between Nat and Darcy, it just kind of felt like we were told they always carried a flame for each other rather than being shown it.

I do think Kate Cochrane has the ability to write a better book, so I will be looking forward to her next work! Unfortunately, this one just did not work for me.

Teammates to lovers to rivals to coworkers to ....? Taking the "women in sports date each other" stereotype to new heights! This was a fun and easy read. It was an interesting choice that one of the main character's names was LaCroix, which felt like a bit of a weird choice, given the famous water brand. Maybe that is an actual last name in Canada, but I just through of the bubbly water the whole time.

My qualm with this book, was that it was slightly confusing why they ever even broke up. I think a miscommunication troupe can be boring, and this essentially was their entire relationship, which felt VERY frustrating as a reader, especially the amount of times said miscommunication happened. This wasn't enough for me to have a bad taste going away from the book, though more of just a constructive criticism!

Did you get that gut-punch feeling when Alex Morgan was left off the USWNT Olympic roster? Did you love all the hype for the PWHL inaugural season? Do you live for all of the little dramas that surface during the Olympics? Are you already counting down to Milan 2026?

If you answered “Um, obviously,” to any of the above questions, this is FOR YOU.

Nat and Darcy were college hockey teammates that years later are known for an intense international rivalry. When they reunite for a morning show segment, old habits die hard and old sparks trigger an internet hashtag.

I absolutely devoured this book and will be aggressively recommending it to absolutely everyone as soon as it’s released.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review!

Super Cute! I am a big fan of LGBTQ+ fiction specifically in sports! This was a fun read about two ex's who are reunited.

I'd heard good things about this book but it was even better than I thought it would be, especially for a debut. I fell in love with Nat and Darcy and their chemistry- the banter and plot was so fun to read. I flew through this book but was sad when it was over, I'll absolutely be keeping an eye out for anything Cochrane writes in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review, I feel lucky to have been able to read this early!

2.5 rounded up to 3

Former collegemates turned Olympic rivals are now cohosts on Wake Up, USA. But Nat and Darcy are also ex-lovers. Well, almost. Things never got that far in college, but those old feelings? Yeah, they are alive and well. And the internet is definitely picking up on them. It's not long before #PuckingHotties is trending as Nat and Darcy try to navigate their complicated history.

I really, really wanted to like this. But it left me very underwhelmed. The banter, tension, and emotions just weren't there. It was all a little bland for me. But here are some reasons why you might want to pick it up:

-Rivals to Lovers
-Second Chance Romance
-Women's Hockey
-Olympic Tie-in
-Lovers who Compete together stay together

Reading Wake Up, Nat & Darcy was an absolute delight especially with the Summer Olympics just around the corner! The fun, sarcastic banter between Natalie and Darcy was so well written, making their second chance romance all the more engaging. Despite their ten-year gap, the spark between them never dissipated, manifesting in playful brawls and witty exchanges. The rivalry between Darcy, the Canadian hockey star, and Nat, the US hockey star, added and exciting layer to their dynamic. The book’s concept of co-hosting a sports show and trying out various Olympic events was entertaining and kept me hooked. While the secondary characters could have been more developed, the focus on Nat and Darcy’s evolving relationship was endearing. Nat’s struggle with imposter syndrome and Darcy’s efforts to stop out of her father’s shadow added depth to the characters. The steamy hotel scenes and the alternating chapters between present day and their college days where they originally fell in love enriched the story for me. I hope this gets adapted into a movie or TV show!

What to expect:
- Second chance romance
- Sarcastic, competitive banter
- Winter Olympics setting
- Steamy scenes
- Alternative timelines
- Imposter syndrome
- Sapphic love
- Emotional growth and healing
- Strong female athletes
- Low-stakes conflict

#puckinghotties #wakeupnatanddarcy #wakeupusa #winterolympics #sapphicromance #sapphiclove #queerlove

Wake Up, Nat and Darcy was a very cute FF sports romance book that I really enjoyed!

I loved the combination of backstory and present day that helped to build the story line of the two main characters. I also really loved the competition element between USA and Canada throughout the segments, especially releasing during an Olympic year I could relate to the loyalty to your country they experienced during the segments.

Darcy was a well-rounded character who had fame from her father and had to deal with those expectations and misogyny that would place her in to be “known” only by her father’s accomplishments and not her own. She was older than Nat but still has a subdued way of needing Nat to take the lead in scenarios and trust her.

Nat was a spicy competitor who put on a brave and confident front but Darcy could see behind the persona and truly see her for what she was and loved her for that.

They both had insecurities and didn’t communicate them well in the end, but they were both pining to get each other back and had a happily ever after. Even Darcy’s dad stood up for Darcy to stand in her own pedestal and not in his shadow.

I loved the book and would recommend!

This book was just ok. I was really interested in the premise but I found myself bored for the first third or so.

The main issue I had with this book was that I struggled rooting for Natalie and Darcy to end up together. It really felt like their present-day relationship was based on memories of dating in secret for a few months in college. I felt that we didn’t see them grow enough as individuals or as a couple from the chapters that take place in college.

I really did appreciate the representation of a sapphic romance between professional athletes. The plot drew me in as someone who watches women’s sports.

Thank you to Kate Cochrane, Harlequin & Carina Adores, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Wake Up, Nat and Darcy comes out on 11/12/24.

A delightful second-chance romance, Wake Up, Nat and Darcy follows two female hockey players through their relationship in college (which ended in flames) to their (somewhat unwilling) reunion as television hosts. Filled with cutting banter and heartfelt emotion, this book will keep you hanging in and hoping!

I am so deep in my hockey romance era and was ecstatic to read this sapphic one! Though neither mc is an active player, their gig at the Winter Olympics still brings all the best of sports romance tropes: lots of forced proximity and flirty competition.

Nat and Darcy are both former, decorated women’s hockey Olympians, once college teammates turned fierce rivals, representing Team USA and Team Canada, respectively. Their rivalry was only heightened by the fact that their relationship in college ended badly, so these two exes hosting a gig together is bound to be complicated.

I loved that the characters were older and that there were discussions of what athletes’ retirement looks like and how it can give you a bit of an identity crisis (especially for women who don’t rake in millions even at the heights of their careers!!). Speaking of, I also appreciated the conversations around women’s sports and hockey, specifically, and the disrespect paid to them and the erasement of their achievements.

Though I appreciated having older characters, it didn’t always feel like they acted their age. I know they had a bad falling out in college and that resentment had just been stewing, but there was some pretty immature behavior and miscommunication that made it frustrating at times. It also made the pacing feel a little odd, as they had to overcome the hard feelings from before to get together, but their juvenile behavior constantly hindered their development.

Still happy to see a sapphic hockey romance! Maybe with the PWHL and the increased attention around women’s hockey, we’ll get even more! Exciting times

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Super cute! I love sports romances and I love sapphics and I LOVE the second chance romance trope! Will definitely be recommending this one to my patrons. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley!

I picked this one up because I’m constantly looking for sports romances that give me the feeling that Rachel Spangler’s or Cat Sebastian’s do, and once again I’m left disappointed. I think this is a really good romance novel, and I do recommend it for the store. I just think it’s a standard romance novel– a black forest cake that should be eaten by black forest cake fans, though it may not be as good as the one their grandma used to make. Maybe that’s a convoluted metaphor, but if you like sports-based sapphic romances, you will have a good time reading this book. It just might not be your favorite. One thing I really want to applaud it on is that it doesn’t just say these characters had a thing offscreen and do nothing about it–there are flashbacks meant to help us feel why these characters care, and to cause tension in the mystery of what truly happened between Nat and Darcy all those years ago. It’s good tension, and it helps you root for the characters.

Wake Up, Nat & Darcy is filled with palpable tension and engaging flashbacks that will have you rooting for its main couple. Perfect for lovers of hockey romance and women.

This was such a cue second chance rivals story. It literally sf me kicking my feet at time. I really ate this book up.