"I don’t know when dad jokes and mismatched socks became my type, but that hockey dude skated into my life like a runaway puck… and I think I like it."

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Elsie Woods and the publishers for letting me read and review this advanced copy. This is a four star hockey romance read that is the first book I have read by this author and it did not disappoint. This is the fifth novel in her love on thin ice book series. The two main characters Angel and Scotty are single parents who find a second chance at love with each other. Angel is a business owner that works with homes & vacation websites for children called Happy Horizon Ranch. Scotty is a former professional hockey player who is now a coach for a hockey team called Ice Breakers. The children's interaction with their found family is adorable and how the two characters have been through similar circumstances that they can relate to one another in a way. I loved this it was so warm, fuzzy and heart warming with being hilarious; especially the dad jokes.

The Parent Playbook is my second "Love on Thin Ice" novel, and I really enjoyed it Angel is a single mom raising her young son while running Happy Horizons, a children's charity that allowed children to experience elements of farm life. Scotty is the single dad who, reluctantly, relocated to Maple Falls to coach professional hockey players for a charity event for the aforementioned farm.

They're meet-cute at the gala that Angel very reluctantly attends could have been a mess; but Scotty's sense of humor (and intrigue with Angel) made it a fun event... and the beginning of a serious flirtation!

This novel has all the elements to make for an amusing closed door romance; Angel's son and Scotty's daughter, who hit it off immediately, do everything they can to get Angel and Scotty together (think, The Parent Trap); and it finally pays off!

I've been enjoying this multi-author series; and look forward to seeing what else they have in store. Based on Elsie Woods' story, I have high hopes!.

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.

My Thoughts:
Again, the interactions between Angel and Scotty are cute. I had a few moments of wondering why a 35-year-old man was being called Scotty, not Scott, but then I remembered my 40-year-old nephew, who still gets called Scotty, so I’m giving a pass on that one.

This one has a couple of precocious 12-year-old kids and a goat named Edgar to keep us laughing. Fortunately, there’s not enough of any of those to become annoying.

I did have trouble with some inconsistencies in this one. Cooper’s vibe is quite different here than it is in his book. In this one, he even calls the town by the correct name.

Again, the timing of events feels a little inconsistent from the other books.

Perhaps the biggest one for me, though, was the distance from Angel’s farm to the town center. She talks about driving into town, which seems to take several minutes. Yet her son is walking to the ice rink every morning before school? This one definitely bothered me.

This book has much less kissing than the others. Blame it on interrupting kids. The third-act breakup isn’t really a breakup as much as a setting of priorities. Of course, they get over it. Which…is not a surprise, since we need our HEA!

I loved this fun, quick read about two single parents finding their way to each other and a second chance at love. The kids were cute and I loved the small town charm. I can’t wait to read all the other books in this multi-author series!

I like how every story I read, so far in the series, has its own vibe, and the characters all have different stories.
This one seemed more mature, and I really liked it.
It was a nice, quick, fast-paced read.
I also like how the one thing all the stories (so far) have in common is the Maple fest.
I really liked all the characters in the story.
My favorite was obviously Edgar! I love a chaotic goat!
I think if the books had a bit more spice, they would be perfect!

I’m loving the Love on Thin Ice Series written by multiple authors. The Parent Playbook is a cute two single parents getting their second chance at love story and it’s by Elsie Woods who is a fairly new author to me. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone and I’m actually reading this series completely out of order but still loving every book. If you love small town romance you will want to visit Maple Falls and get to know the residents and the hockey players who are there for a charity tournament.
Scotty and Angel’s story ticked all my boxes, I fell hard and fast for Scotty and I want Angel as my new bestie but it was a 12 year old little girl and a 12 year old little boy who really stole my heart. This is one of those reads that you can’t put down and even when you have read the final line you want more. A beautifully written love story that I highly recommend.
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

A single father finds love with a single mother. We meet the person who inspired the charity event and the hockey tournament that was organized for it. The story is okay, but there are some gaps in the plot.

I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley.

Like this multi author series, love the small town it takes place in and like all the chracters, thisone wa really fun adn loved

Super cute single parent romance! Would recommend for a hockey fan and fans of the found-family trope!

This took me a while to read not because it wasn’t good but because I’m terrible and committing to a single book and that is so bad of me because after half way I was hooked on this.
Its one of those feel good books and being a mama myself this just gives all the older generation hope that just because one live ended doesn’t mean a 2nd won’t make a magical appearance again.

As this book is a perfect example of showing when you least expect something it comes along at the right time

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

It was a perfect blend of romance and comedy. The Dad Jokes made me laugh and marked a great start to the day! 😁
Angel and Scotty are the ideal parents to their kids and the bond they share is ultra special

Thank you sooo m"uch @netgalley for providing me with this book and @elsie.woods.author thank you for the splendid writing and unforgettable characters !!! 😁

Such a sweet small town hockey romance, parent trap style. I really enjoyed it even though it was shorter. It was cute.

This is another cute romance from the multi-author Love on Thin Ice series. Angel and Scotty are both single parents who are trying to navigate a new relationship with all of their other responsibilities. While Angel runs a children's charity, Scotty is the new coach of the local hockey team. Can they figure out how to make their relationship work while still putting their children first?

I loved this book. The chemistry between Angel and Scotty was so natural and I loved the parent trap-esque match making by the kids.

I am so happy I still have two more books to read in this series. I love every single one of them so much. The Parent Playbook is one of my favorites even though it is hard to tell at this point because I really like all of them so much. 😄

The Parent Playbook is a contemporary hockey romance novel written by Elsie Woods. It is book five in the Love on Thin Ice series.

Summary: Angel isn’t looking for love. She tried that, and it didn’t work out so well.

Now she just wants to concentrate on raising her precocious son and helping less-fortunate children with her non-profit farm.

And if that means she has to play nice with a bunch of conceited hockey players to get the funds she needs, then so be it.

Scotty is coaching hockey. He used to play, but after the death of his wife, he stepped back to take care of their young daughter.

Can he remain content with their safe and normal life-or will he have the courage to take a leap of faith and go after what he really wants?

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. There is a good storyline, characters you want to root for, and lots of fun moments to make you smile.

I would definitely recommend this book as a nice, light romance, and it’s one of my favorites from the series.

I would like to thank Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you.

ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Growing up Angelica (Angel) Davis knew what it meant to go without. As an adult she has dedicated her life to providing a safe space that bridges the gap for less fortunate children in her community. So when a billionaire offers the Happy Horizons Ranch to be the recipient of his charity, she accepts. Will the single-mother be able to keep her head and her foundation above water until the money comes through, or will she run out of time?

The Parent Playbook by Elsie Woods is the fifth book in the Love on Thin Ice series. This is a multi-author, interconnected series that follows the love stories of professional hockey players on the charity team, The Ice Breakers. While each of these books is written as a stand alone novel, they are best enjoyed as a whole. However, the order in which you read them does not necessarily matter.

Reading through this series has given me the opportunity to discover a couple of things.

First, it has introduced me to new-to-me authors such as Elsie Woods. Despite having numerous titles to her name, I had yet to read one of her novels. I am so thankful that I learned of Woods’ work as I instantly fell in love with her writing. This might have been my first book by her, but it definitely won’t be my last!

In addition to discovering Woods, it opened my eyes to a trope I had previously dismissed. I always thought I was not a fan of the single-parent trope. In actuality I just hadn’t read one I enjoyed. Woods put an end to that by rooting Angel and Scotty’s journey in reality. Not only did their interactions feel authentic, they delicately navigated both their own feelings and their children’s feelings responsibly.

Read this book if you enjoy small town, sports romances that feature a second chance at love for two single-parents.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Puppy Love Books, Xpresso Book Tours, and Elsie Woods for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved read the maple hills series and like the rest of the books, found this very sweet, an easy read and cute! I’m not usually much of a fan of ‘parent’ romances but I found I could make an exception in this case as it was just such a sweet (but not sickly sweet) story and I really liked the characters. overall a really lovely read and as a whole series something I’d definitely recommend! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this!

First of all, Thank You Netgalley for the ARC granted to me. Romance with single parents rediscovering love all that united with sport romance is always a good idea. I truly liked the story, withc such a cozy and compelling vibe.

This book was very wholesome, very sweet with cozy romance vibes. Nothing too high stakes which can be nice! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!