I just finished this book 0.05 seconds ago and I'm here to write the review! I was NOT expecting this book to give me ALL the feels!!!!!! It was sweet and funny and so swoony. I even had tears, TEARS, at several times!!!! Kinda like if Travis Kelce played hockey and was in love with his friends little sister. 20/10 highly recommend. Will now be stalking this author down on Amazon to read the rest of her books!

This is my first book written by Worthington and I enjoyed the way she crafted the dialogue. The story flowed quickly, and it was a super sweet romance. I liked the talk about books and reading as well! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Best friends sister
Grumpy/sunshine
He falls first
Hockey romance

All the makings for a spectacular book. Emmy is a small town bookstore worker, dreaming of being an author while taking care of her aging grandmother. She’s also cynical about love and the perfect man not existing, thanks to unrealistic expectations in romance novels. 4 years ago she made a silly pact with her brother’s best friend that when Emmy was 25 and still single and needed a date, Dawson would be there for her. But it’s silly to expect that your brother’s friend, who is drafted to the NHL would keep that promise, especially when he’s constantly photographed with gorgeous woman. Except Dawson never forgot that pact and now that he’s conveniently back in town for a charity hockey game, there’s nothing stopping him from following through with their pact.

This is a sweet story that was easy to read in one day and had me kicking my feet and giggling all the way through. There is 0 spice but honestly, that’s kind of refreshing.
Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for this ARC.

Emmy makes a pact with her brother's teammate Dawson that if they are both single at 25, they will be the other's 'buffer date.' A charity hockey tournament brings Dawson back to town just as Emmy needs an ally at a party thrown by her boss. Will their fake date lead to something more?

Read if you like:
-Friends to Lovers
-Dating Pact
-Brother's Teammate
-Small Town Romance
-Sweet Not Spicy

This was a fun and fluffy, sweet and short read. Definitely an enjoyable little escape. The subplot of the tiktok friends was a bit much with everything else going on, and was very predictable.

Another short novel of fall romance in Maple Falls with a hockey player.

Picture Stars Hallow, but instead of Dean or Jess with Rory, make it a hockey guy.

And he is also her brother's best friend.

This sweet short read is perfect to get into the fall mood, or hockey season.

Thank you NetGalley and Poets & Saints Publishing for my E-ARC.

I am loving getting to return to Maple Falls again and again and now I’m back for the third time with the Friend Face Off.

Getting involved with your brother’s best friend is risky enough. But when he's a hockey player? It's a whole new level of bad idea.

This for the girls who love books and hockey players. I loved this sweet closed door combination of two of my favourite things. I absolutely loved Dawson’s character but Emmy’s was starting to bother me the more we got into the story. It just bugs me when female characters write off the men all because of their profession, hobbies or their looks. Dawson was proving himself time and time again and Emmy just came off as really whiny and insecure. I wanted more growth from her but I did enjoy their story overall.

Wasn’t my fav of the series but I think a lot of people will really enjoy this one this fall and I’ll be waiting impatiently to go back to Maple Falls with book 4

This was a short and sweet hockey romance, I adore Dawson he’s such a cinnamonroll and very clearly crazy about Emmy. I really loved all the talk about BookTok and romance books in this book, I loved that Emmy is a reader and BookToker. I kept wanting to yell at Emmy or give her a good shake about her hesitation with Dawson because he was so sweet and I just wanted them to be happy and it's clear he wanted to make it work with her and she was doubting everything. One of my favourite parts of this books though is the anonymous online friend part of this book I think those messages were very cute. It was also really funny to me how they thought they were doing good hiding their “dates” or relationship because they spent so much time together and it was probably super obvious to everyone.

The pace of The Friend Face Off was a little slow to my liking. However, i did enjoy the dynamics between the characters. I look forward to reading more of this series in the future.

This romance novel is a perfect fall hockey romance, for any brother’s best friend, small town, sport romance. Emmy and Dawson’s love story is an addictive and heartwarming one to read. Emmy is a bookstore worker, who spends her time posting videos on booktok and caring for her grandma, she is not convinced she’ll ever find romance in her real life just like it’s written in her favourite romance novels but Dawson is ready to prove to her love can be real, and he reads!!

This read was enjoyable, addictive and amazing. The pacing was perfect, with mix-media text conversation. The characters are lovable, from the old ladies in town to the hockey team to Emmy and her friend.

The romance is just perfect, really made me smile and spend a lovely rainy day reading this in ONE sitting. I would recommend this to everyone, you enjoyed Icebreaker but want something closed door, with less spice, this is perfect for you.

Dawson didn’t just convince Emmy that romantic men also exist outside books but he convinced me as well. The ending is hopeful and light-hearted. I am excited to follow the rest of the series, with the other hockey players.

Please read this book this fall, during a rainy day with some nice hot chocolate and a warm blanket this is all you need to bring a smile to your face.
[ARC Netgally – Poets & Saints Publishing - comes out on Sep 12 2024 ]