I like a good hockey romance. I just couldn't get into this one. Not sure why, and maybe it was just the wrong time to read for me. It was a romance, but I don't like the brother/sister tension storyline.

Another cute, closed door rom com in the series!
I liked that Emmy was a book-tocker and loved books. I could relate to her!
This one didn't really have a 3rd act breakup, but Emmy spent a lot of time worrying that the relationship wouldn't work long term.
The only thing i didn't like was that it mentioned Dawson's dad once or twice but then didn't really give a conclusion to that storyline.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you for allowing me to read The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington. This was a great book for hockey lovers and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hockey romances are still having their moment, and this recently released multi-author series capitalizes on that. If you aren’t familiar with multi-author series, each book can stand alone, but they all share a common setting. Protagonists from one book will likely be side characters in another. Stores, events, and side characters will also be repeated, allowing multiple views of the setting.

This particular series revolves around a hockey team that is put together as a fundraising event for a ranch that serves underprivileged children, with a limited season of games against a Canadian team. The Ice Breakers are based out of the small-ish fictional Western Washington town of Maple Falls (not to be confused with the real town of Maple Valley).

Unlike the Appies series, each of these books was written by a different popular sweet romance author, each with her own style. There are some differences from book to book, but nothing so serious as to mar the series.

Similar to the Appies series, all of the female main characters exist beyond their potential as romantic partners. They have actual lives, careers, and struggles.

The male main characters have various reasons for their singleness at the beginning of the series. Several have (mostly undeserved) reputations as serial daters. All are dedicated to hockey.

The situations that get the various couples together are varied and interesting. Of course, there is an element of predictability: when there are two POV characters, you know they’ll end up together. The question is: what will happen to them before they get there? Will there be a third-act breakup, or will there be something else that tests the relationship?

I find that the passage of time is a bit confusing. There is a Halloween party mentioned in several of the books, and there’s a corn maze and haunted house at Maple Fest. There is pumpkin spice everything. The Ice Breakers practice together for a while before the first of their five games, but the space between games is a bit fuzzy. Days? A week? It all seems to be over before Thanksgiving though. Especially since some of the epilogues mention Christmas lights.

Also…what’s wrong with an otter as a mascot? (If you know me, you know I adore otters.)

Possible objectionable material:
Very mild cursing. Various issues such as parental divorce or neglect, alcoholism, death of a parent, chronic illness, infidelity, sexual harassment. This is hockey, so there are injuries and the occasional fight. People drink. This is closed door romance, so we don’t see more than passionate kisses. There is a hint that sex happens.

Who might like these books:
Romance fans, hockey fans, hockey romance fans. Anyone who likes well-written books where characters grow and develop over the course of the story.

These books are also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-hockey-romcom-era-continues.html
Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley for providing ARCs in exchange for my honest opinion.

We turn now to Dan’s sister, Emmy, and best friend, goalie Dawson. Emmy and Dawson met a few years prior when Dawson and Dan visited home from college. Emmy wasn’t interested in a hockey player, because she figured they all emphasized the word “player”, but did end up making a pact with him that if either of them needed a date when they were 25, they’d be there for each other.

Well, now they’re 25 and Emmy needs a date so she can avoid creepy Stewart. Dawson was attracted to her then, and he’s attracted to her now. Of course, he knows what Dan would do to him if Emmy got hurt.

Emmy has given up on finding romance, figuring that the men in romance novels, unrealistic as they are, will have to do. When “Golden Dog” replies to her TikTok post about unrealistic expectations, they develop a sort of online, anonymous friendship.

Naturally, things progress between Emmy and Dawson, and Emmy keeps turning to Golden Dog for advice.

Did I mention that this has a You’ve Got Mail vibe?

On a side note, Dawson visits the ladies’ book group when they discuss a hockey romance for Perfectly Wedded. This is a genius (or annoying) move by Worthington. It’s her novel, not yet released at the time this book was published. She spends a lot of time mentioning it. Did it pique my interest? Yes. Did I request it to review? Also yes.

Emmy, like Ellie and Keira before her, struggles with her feelings of being a small town girl who stayed in her small town, and not being worthy or of enough interest to a professional hockey player. Dawson has a definite reputation for having a different woman on his arm every time he goes out. Turns out his dad hires dates for him so he’ll stay “relevant” in the media.

There’s almost a third-act breakup, as media and others point out to Emmy that she’s not Dawson’s type, but Dawson shuts it down pretty immediately, and, after a pep talk from Grandma Mimi, Emmy is ready to take a chance on love.

First, the lead male has to be the most patient, and kind man ever written. The female lead really needed professional counseling to help her see herself as worthy, but fortunately, she has a wonderful grandmother. I wish there had been more balance in the rate of growth for Emmy. Her brother's in town for the same time span as the romantic lead, and yet he's a mere sideline. Did the family ever get together for meals? I felt that was an unrealistic aspect, especially for Ginny's angst of being there always for her family. But I enjoyed the story, and the story read quickly as a result of the writing.

I'm really enjoying this multi-author series. I'm a big hockey fan and love reading all the different tropes incorporated into the novellas. I loved the brother's bestfriend trope and Emmy and Dawson's chemistry was fantastic. i'm loving all the side characters incorporated as well. Its really making the interconnected stories come to life.

I struggled to finish this one, and skimmed through several sections. I found our FMC to be unpleasant, so it was hard to root for her. The hockey details in the book were a bit sus, and some of the world building was unrealistic. I read this book several months before writing this review, and many of the romance details were forgettable. Overall, I was disappointed in this story. *I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

We love a book influencer as a character👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Pair that with her job at a bookstore and his willingness to read a hockey rom com and discuss it at book club and you have the makings of a great book! Emmy and Dawson clearly are draw to one another, but she can’t let herself fall for him because a real relationship would be unrealistic. eve though she gets in her own way at times, I loved Emmy’s dedication to her ideal life. I also love how Dawson supported her and handled her heart with gentleness and compassion.

A fun fall hockey rom com!
_____
This is a closed door, kisses only rom com. It is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone.

Thanks to the author for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

like the series, the small town the authors created and the chracters and this was a good one of all the installments

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

Sadly, I was not able to finish this title. I did not like any of the characters and when I could not get past it after 50 some pages, I decided to call it quits

The Friend Face Off: A Sweet Small Town Hockey Romcom by Grace Worthington
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Reading The Friend Face Off, was such an easy, entertaining read with a happy ending that I didn’t know I needed in my life. I loved reading this story, Emmy and Dawson were everything and more. Grace did an amazing job of developing a plot full of amazing lovable characters. I love the chemistry between Emmy and Dawson, the way their relationship develops through the book was well developed. Definitely a must read book!.
November 22, 2024

I am a sucker for sports romances, so this was right up my alley. I have never read anything by this author, but I will definitely be looking out for this author! The pace was great and I was hooked from just a few pages in!

The third book in the Love on Thin Ice tells the story of Emmy, a bookworm obsessed with hockey romance. When she finds that no real hockey players can measure up to her book boyfriends, she issues a challenge online for someone to prove her wrong. Her brother's best friend answers her challenge and decides he will show Emmy just how romantic he can be.

The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington is another delightful addition to the Love On Thin Ice series, serving up the perfect blend of small-town charm and hockey romance that will make you swoon (and maybe even grab a blanket for the cozy vibes).

In this book, we meet Dawson Hayes, the easygoing goalie for the Ice Breakers charity team, who's navigating not only the transition from the AHL to the NHL but also his overbearing father who wants a say in all aspects of his life, including her public persona and love life. Dawson is no stranger to Maple Falls, having visited a few years back when he was still playing with his best friend (and former teammate) Dan Roberts, whom readers may remember from The Rebound Play.

Emmy Roberts, on the other hand, is a bookshop manager with big dreams that are constantly put on hold—thanks to her overbearing boss's son and her role as a caregiver to her grandmother. But there's one thing she's kept secret: her anonymous BookTok account, where she shares unfiltered book reviews and musings on love.

When Dawson and Emmy reconnect in Maple Falls, the chemistry is undeniable. But Emmy is hesitant to lean into a romance with someone who lives such a different life. As their connection deepens, Emmy retreats to her anonymous BookTok account for advice, only to realize that the mysterious man offering relationship wisdom might be closer than she thinks.

The Friend Face Off is everything you want in a sweet romance—charming, cozy, and full of heart. If you love romcoms with a dash of sports, a sprinkle of small-town charm, and a whole lot of heartwarming moments, this book will be a perfect fit for your next read. Grab your favourite sweater, settle in, and get ready for a story that will leave you with all the warm-and-fuzzy feels!

3.5 stars. While I loved the plot and the characters, I just found the story to be a bit boring at times. The writing did not completely grab me.

This is a super short book that could be read in a day or a few depending on how fast you are. It is apart of a multi author series so I highly recommend reading all of them!

Love in Overtime is set in a small town in Washington state (which I loved because I live in Washington!). This is a brothers best friend, friends to lovers, fake dating story!

✅ Hockey romance - Emmy, runs a bookstore, &
✅ Dual POV
✅ Brother’s best friend
✅ small town romance
✅ book 3 in a series of connected romances all written by different authors but you don’t need to read them in order
✅ Lots of references to the author’s other book in early chapters, frankly I appreciate the hustle.
✅ This is very Hallmark, down to the dialogue. LOL who is paparazzing an AHL player who is moving to the NHL

Four years ago, when her brother brought his best friend, Emmy, and Dawson made a pact to go on a date when she turned 25. Dawson is back to play in the charity matches and is very motivated to be with Emmy. Emmy struggles a lot and resists; I didn’t like that she kept repeating that it wouldn’t work out for them. Many people succeed in long-distance relationships. I didn’t like it.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley.

The Friend Face Off is a contemporary hockey romance novel written by Grace Worthington. It is book three in the Love on Thin Ice series. It is not necessary to have read the previous books in order to read this one, but characters do intersect throughout the series.

Summary: Emmy is a little jaded. She wants a storybook romance but is convinced that no one can live up to the men she reads about in her books.

Dawson has admired Emmy for years, but the last thing he wants to do is anger his best friend-Emmy’s older brother.

Can he get up the courage to admit his feelings, and take a chance on losing a friend?

My Thoughts: This one was OK.

I liked the actual romance between the main characters. It was sweet, and I felt like Dawson was a good romantic lead.

But I thought the online interaction storyline seemed a little contrived to me, and it was a little cheesy in spots.

This one was more of a one-time read for me, but I am glad I read it just to continue the overall storyline of this series.

I would like to thank Poets & Saints Publishing for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you.

If you start a book quoting a popular 'TikTok' song then it's an automatic nope from me.

This book felt like it was AI written after being given pretty much every popular trope in the bookish world.

The characters were flat and unlikeable and honestly the FMC was just infuriating, she was negative about everything

And the Villain character was just missing having a mustache to twiddle while being his dastardly self.