Another great hockey romance to add to my Elle Kennedy collection! I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read that was packed with emotion and spice.

Blake is a known playboy who is clearly obsessed with Jess. This is the classic "he fell first and harder" trope. He is the ultimate golden retriever with his quirky comments and overall sunshine personality. I could not stop laughing whenever he basically strong armed Jess into doing certain things like dating. He literally forced her to date him simply by saying "we are dating." Only he would be able to pull that move off. His backstory is so heartbreaking and makes things so clear as to why he is the way he is. Molly is a piece of actual trash and I personally do not think she got the punishment she deserved for what she did to Blake. His journey of vulnerability and eventually letting a woman into his life was so sweet.

Jess is someone who is adrift in her life. She thinks she is the disappointment if the family since she has not figured out what she wants to do yet with her life at 26. Personally, I don't think at 26 you have to have everything figured out yet. She decides to go to nursing school which is eventually what gets Blake and her together since they both are now in Vancouver and he is her brother's neighbor and best friend. Jess has her walls up high since she does not want anything to distract her from her goal, but Blake is the perfect distraction. He does not take her away from what she needs to do, but simply allows her to have some time away from the books. He eventually breaks down her walls. He brings sunshine, support and a good distraction to her life since the world does not revolve around school.

I loved these two together as I felt they brought out the best in each other. Of course the spice was great and did not distract from the overall plot and meaning behind the story. The best part, no third act break up!

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Nice but nothing special


"Good Boy" is the first book in the WAGs series written by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen and tells the story of Jessica and Blake.

It took me a while to warm to Blake. He's a real goofy character and actually totally loveable. But because of the initial situation, I was just totally stressed out with Jessica and Blake didn't come across as very likeable to me.

"Good Boy" is a pretty fast-paced story and takes place in the same universe as the Him books. But for me it was the first from this world. I felt for Jessica and could totally understand her. However, I also found her exhausting at times.

For me, the story of Blake and Jessica was a nice story for in between. I thought it was a shame that the first volume didn't make me keen on the second volume in the series. And I don't have the urge to read it.

I give "Good Boy" 3 out of 5 stars

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I've read and really enjoyed a lot of Elle Kennedy books so this collaboration immediately grabbed my attention. A spicy sports romance with plenty of banter and tension. The male lead is pretty polarizing. I think readers will either really love him or hate him due to the way he initially comes across in the book. Overall though Good Boy was an entertaining romance and didn't disappoint

You know that swoon-worthy book you can’t put down? Well, this is IT! 😍💕

📚 Read if you like: friends-to-lovers, second chances, laugh-out-loud moments, and a whole lot of swoon!

Jess Canning is already feeling like the "family screw-up," and planning her brother's wedding is her shot at redemption. But there’s one little problem—or rather one big, muscular, charming problem—Blake Riley, the best man, and the guy she had a fling with last spring. Now, no one can know about that night, especially as she tries to prove she’s serious and capable. Meanwhile, Blake is determined to show Jess he’s more than just a goofy, flirty hockey player. He’s ready to fight for what he wants... and what he wants is Jess.

👨‍👧 Jess and Blake are absolute dynamite! Jess is caught between trying to prove herself and resisting Blake’s charm, while Blake is determined to win her over with his tenacity, humor, and irresistible sweetness. Together, their chemistry is undeniable, sparking from the very first page and not letting up.

💞 This romance is a perfect blend of flirty, fun, and heartfelt. From awkward moments to fiery kisses, Blake’s persistence paired with Jess’s resistance creates a slow-burn that had me melting. Blake is that irresistible guy who breaks down all of Jess’s walls with his warmth and caring nature. He’s so much more than a goofball—he’s the hero who knows what (and who) he wants.

👧 The side characters add a wonderful layer to the story. Whether it’s the hilarious banter with Blake’s teammates or the Canning family dynamic, they all bring this world to life with their charm and quirkiness.

✍️ The writing is fantastic, full of witty dialogue and heartfelt moments. You’ll laugh, swoon, and blush all at once. Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen have crafted a story that feels so genuine, organic, and emotionally satisfying.

🌟 Overall, Good Boy is the perfect read for anyone who loves sweet, swoony romances with a playful edge. This story was perfectly written and was just the right amount of everything you are looking for. Trust me, Blake Riley is your next book boyfriend! 😉

I really did not enjoy *Good Boy*, and that’s mainly because of Blake. He couldn’t take "no" for an answer and spent the first half of the book relentlessly pursuing Jessica, even when she clearly needed emotional support. Instead of being the fun, carefree guy he was supposed to be, he gave me strong predator vibes. I stopped reading at 25% because his behavior made me so uncomfortable.

Blake came across as a total "nice guy" in sheep's clothing. As a reader, I felt uneasy and cringed through most of his interactions. Jessica needed a listener, but Blake's mind was always on how he could get closer to her physically. The moment he pressured her yet again when she clearly needed space was my final straw. And don’t get me started on the butt touch at the wedding or his reaction to picking up the wrong balloons when Jessica was already stressed. Instead of apologizing, he brushed it off with a “she needs to loosen up” attitude. It felt gross.

Blake is a walking red flag—he doesn’t listen, and everything is about his needs. If this is the type of guy we're supposed to root for, I’m out. I just can’t get behind it.

I have loved Elle Kennedy's past books so i was excited to have the chance to read "Good Boy". I have to say this book was a bit disappointing, and I didn't love how the main character was written.

This is a refresh/republish but was new to me.
I was excited to read this as an Elle Kennedy fan, but I honestly had a tough time with it, especially due to Blake's character. His immaturity throughout was a real turnoff, although he did get more tolerable as the story went on. This was a fluffy and cheesy sports romance but gave great spice.

I really enjoyed Good Boy. It was everything a great romance should be.

The chemistry between Jess and Blake was off the charts. I loved their playful relationship.
The romance was sweet, the spice was great, and the storyline was compelling and funny too.

I'll definitely be keen to read the next installment.
I highly recommend.

4 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Bloom Books, Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have already purchased both Stay and Good Boy for my library's digital collection. Elle Kennedy is a popular author and these books are sure to circulate well. I look forward to reading more books by her in the future.

I was so excited to grab this book because I absolutely loved the Him series by this duo. But even Wes and Jamie couldn’t save this one for me. 😩 I got instant ick from our MMC—he gave off total man-child vibes, and the humor felt so juvenile. I usually love a bit of lighthearted fun, but this just didn’t hit the right notes.

It was tough to push through, and I kept hoping it would get better, but it never really did. Such a bummer, because I really wanted to love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I almost stopped reading this a hundred times because I absolutely hated the way Blake was written, his dialogue, thought process, literally everything. But I kept on and I was pleased with the way things ended up. It was not my favorite hockey romance but it was a quick and easy read.

I love Elle Kennedy and a good hockey romance but this one missed the mark for me. Felt rushed and cheesy, lacking character development. Yes. You can have character development in a spicy hockey romance. Still look forward to reading anything she publishes though!

✨ Publication date: August 6, 2024✨

Good Boy is a refresh and republish of the first book is the Wags series by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen. This is a steamy sports romance series.

Jess Canning is in her mid twenties and is still trying to figure life out. She has started a few school programs and attempted a couple of career choices and can’t seem to find what works. She knows what doesn’t work though, seeing one of her brother’s best friends Blake again after their hook up a few months ago.

Blake Riley is your typical playboy. Star of the Toronto professional hockey team and no problem getting girls to hang off him. He just can’t quite get Jess Canning out of his mind. They only hooked up once but their chemistry was off the charts and he’s like to explore a friends with benefits deal with her.

When Jess is accepted to a Toronto University for Nursing, Blake and Jess start to see a bit more of each other. When Blake asks Jess to be his fake girlfriend to avoid his ex at an upcoming family party, they agree that fake dating and friends with benefits would work for them both.

What happens when the forever playboy wants to settle down and the girl looking for a steady long term relationship doesn’t see what’s right in front of her?

I liked this book. I’m a big Elle Kennedy fan but I had a tough time with Blake’s character. He grew on me a bit throughout the book but I still didn’t love his immaturity throughout the book. This is a 3 star for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #ellekennedy #sarinabowen #goodboy

Thank you #Netgalley for the copy

What a fun read! Already a fan of Elle Kennedy I was looking forward to this collaboration and new Wags series. Looking forward to the next! In this intro novel, we are introduced to Jess, a woman in her twenties trying to find her career. Meanwhile, we are also quickly introduced to Blake, her brothers best friend, a hilarious hockey player who is used to women fawning over him, but not Jess. Jess decides to go to nursing school, coincidently in the same town as her brother and Blake. In typical rom com style, we watch as Jess and Blake tease each other, one pushing the other away, etc. But ultimately they need each other in more ways than one, and we watch the relationship evolve and Jess eventually build in her confidence in school and life.

I love every book these two write. I really enjoyed this one! The frat boy talk was a little bit much for my taste, but overall, the book was cute and a good read that I really enjoyed. The banter was funny, and they had really great chemistry. Once Jess got to know Blake better, she saw what he was truly like, and I loved that.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for eARC!

This was a bit cheesy, but overall an enjoyable fluffy read. Would recommend to anybody who enjoys hockey romances with smut.

OMG this book! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. This is my absolute favorite book by both of these authors. I want to read it again for the first time. I adored Blake and Jess, but especially Blake. His humor and fun-loving ways were so adorable. Go read this ... like seriously now.

3 stars. This book is a release of one of their older books with a new cover (which I really like) and it was a quick read. However, compared to other work by Elle Kennedy or any other hockey romance I feel like this one fell short and lacked depth. Also Blake just made me cringe way too hard and I can't tell if this was just sayings we used back in the day or if he really is that cringe lol. Also, I initially was excited for the dog element but I feel like that wasn't a central point in this book. I feel like this series and the covers (new and past) really marketed the dog element so I expected more. I'll read the next one to see if that opinion changes :) Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

This brother's best friend, hockey romance was so fun. I loved Jess and Blake so much. They had previously hooked up but while Jess saw it as a one and done, Blake was set on winning her heart. And what better time to do that then at the wedding of Jess's brother where they are the maid of honor and best man. A quick, entertaining and funny read. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

I love Elle Kennedy but this one fell short for me.

This one lacked excitement and overall was really boring.
I did enjoy the relationship dynamics at times and there was definitely humor but nothing that grabbed my attention and kept me entertained.
I enjoyed Blake but most of the characters lacked depth and were just not enjoyable.

Seemed like the same ol' romance we've all seen and heard before.
I'll still read Elle Kennedy, this just wasn't my favorite.