Advanced Reader Copy Review:
I follow Lexi LeFleur Brown on TikTok and love her sarcastic style of humor, which made me very excited to read her debut romance novel. You can definitely see a lot of Brown's personality in the female main character, Lucy. This book is a promising start for a debut, and congrats on writing your first book, Lexi! This formulaic-style romance is full of humor, found family, and lots of hockey. I can't wait to see what you write next.

I was really looking forward to this one — I’ve followed Lexi on social media for a while & I love her content.

However, this book didn’t really do it for me. It felt very much like a debut author who was just like “well, I could write a romance novel!” I did appreciate how the hockey content seemed more realistic than other sports romances I’ve read & how the main character’s bisexuality wasn’t a major plot point — she just was.

Thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a big fan of Lexi's from TikTok so was excited when I got to read her book early with NetGalley. I liked that she has the actually knowledge of hockey and it's inner workings and that was shown throughout the book. Outside of the hockey aspects, she touches on mental health and I think handles it well and shows a positive relationship where they help each other through obstacles. It might just be me not loving miscommunication tropes, but found myself getting annoyed at Lucy often. While I liked this book, I didn't love it - I felt like they were trying to tackle too many themes at once, which could have been spread over more books.

Shoot Your Shot by Lexi LaFleur Brown is going to be a new favorite for all of the hockey fans out there who also really enjoy hockey romances. Lucy is doing her best in a terrible work situation as she works towards a tattoo apprenticeship. Jaylen is almost a has been hockey star trying to secure a roster spot with a PTO tryout. They meet on what had to be one of Jaylen’s worst nights and yet he is curious to know more about Lucy and relentless in his attempts to keep her attention. I really enjoyed seeing how Lucy was able to carve out her own career by finding her way back to her art through painting sporty murals. I have to believe that for Lucy, someone not particularly sporty (as she explains), this would have been such an odd way to find your way home to the work you love. I enjoyed both Lucy and Jaylen’s friends, the superstitions, the insider hockey moments, the mental health rep, and Lucy’s cat - Sailor.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early edition of this book.

When Lexi Lafleur Brown said that she would use her hockey expertise to finally write an accurate hockey romance, I forgot that knowledge of a specific field is not the only thing it takes for a book to be good. I forgot about style and character development and consistency. It seems Dr. LaFleur Brown forgot about these things as well, because they were not found in this book!

Okay, cattiness aside: this book is bad. And I am a fan of Dr. LaFleur! I'm an NHL fan, a former women's hockey player, and have followed her on socials for years. I was SO excited for this book, and that's why I am so deeply disappointed that it's so bad. I'm tempted to give it 1 star, but it made me laugh a couple of times, so congrats on 2.

Dr. LaFleur knows hockey. All the hockey is super accurate. That has been her main marketing point since she started drafting, and it is obviously the only thing they have to sell. The plot itself is fine, though I think some of it is contrived and a little forced. I don't want to go into spoilers, but some of Lucy's choices were baffling. No sane real person would say or do some of the stuff she says and does, but I guess it needed to be that way for the plot, which is never a good reason.

Jaylen, on the other hand, was perfect. The worst thing Jaylen ever did was be depressed, which obviously is not a moral failing, and that's the problem. I get that romance is a fantasy, but if you take out the mental health, Jaylen is flawless, and that's just boring. Lucy is an insane person; the least we could do is give Jaylen something to apologize for, too.

My biggest gripe about this book, though, is the prose. This book reads like it was written by someone in high school. Every once in a while, there is a nugget of a nice line, but otherwise, it's a massive example of telling and not showing. EVERYTHING that is described is in the most plain, direct language possible. The backstories are told to us as narrative thoughts in the characters' minds. Even their feelings are just written out, leaving no space to interpret or actually feel anything. There was no artistry in any of it, and while some people think that romance isn't art, I think that's a disservice to the genre. There was room in this book for good, creative prose, and it just never arrived. The SMUT was the least sexy, most bland, nothingburger smut I have ever read. "He touched me. I moaned. He touched me again." Not a direct quote, but it might as well be. It was that boring.

There were also a BUNCH of little inconsistencies, like Lucy getting her story wrong or a sentence contradicting the one before it. I don't know if that's the fault of the author or the editor, but with everything else going on, it just added to my annoyance.

In the end, this book was a massive disappointment. Dr. LaFleur is a very intelligent woman, and I wanted this to be good, but holy shit hit up your local community college and take a creative writing class. Regardless of what BookTok might make you think, a book cannot subsist on banter and queer rep alone. If Dr. LaFleur didn't have a big online presence, this book would never have been published by a major house, and that is a big damn shame.

Shoot Your Shot by Lexi LaFleur Brown is a fun, flirty, and empowering romance that centers around taking chances—on love and in life. With a dynamic heroine and a swoon-worthy love interest, this novel combines laugh-out-loud moments, steamy chemistry, and heartfelt lessons about self-discovery. Brown’s witty dialogue and modern storytelling make this a perfect pick for fans of romantic comedies with a confident, unapologetic edge.

This book was exactly what I look for in a hockey romance. I loved the FMC and found her to be very sassy and fiery and said exactly what was on her mind. The MMC gave such golden retriever energy and I liked the balance between the two of them. It was an easy read and I loved how you could tell the author was so well versed in hockey!

This is such a cute hockey romance with pop culture references that will have you immediately in love with the FMC & MMC. Jaelyn & Lucy thought they’d just have a one night stand but luck keeps them coming back to each other. Honorable mention to lovable gay best friends. There is mental health and LGBTQ+ representation.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press for this E-Arc. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Shoot Your Shot. A black cat FMC paired with a golden retriever MMC, fun side characters, believable hockey, some real impactful one liners and some light spice. I think there was really well-done character development from both of the protagonists that hit home on both ends. The book touches a little on mental health, family dynamics, drug addiction, racism and has some queer representation, that although not very deeply explored it was nice to see included in a hockey romance book. Especially one that had a BIPOC MMC in a genre where that's not the norm. With all that said I feel like the book could have been deeper; it felt like a fluffy romantic comedy that while sweet only really scratched the surface. I may not have felt that way if those topics were introduced but since they were- it left me wanting more.

My biggest issue was the pacing where some parts dragged a little which although not that long of a book did make me force through those parts. There also was a lot of telling/not showing which did take me out of the moment a little bit. This also includes some time skips in the relationship where I think things developed between the main characters, but we as readers missed out on much of that relationship growth.

Overall, I have not heard of Mx. LaFleur Brown before this book but am still impressed with their debut novel. I think the bones are here and was entertained reading it, I can't wait to see with what they come out with next.

If you're a fan of hockey romance, The Good Luck Charm is a must-read! This book combines the perfect mix of sports, romance, and real-life struggles. The story follows Lucy, an artist and tattoo intern, and Jaylen, a black hockey player struggling with his game. Their quirky agreement for Lucy to be his good luck charm leads to sizzling chemistry and a romance that's equal parts adorable and authentic. Both characters are deeply developed, with their own personal traumas and growth throughout the book.

The opposites-attract dynamic between Lucy's "black cat" energy and Jaylen's sweet "golden retriever" vibes is spot-on, and the mental health representation is thoughtfully done. Plus, as a real-life hockey fan, the accurate portrayal of the sport in this book really stood out—it's clear that Dr. Lexi LaFleur Brown knows her stuff. Even if you're not into hockey, this book is accessible, with plenty of heart, tension, and steam to keep you hooked.

While some parts felt a little slow, the romance, relatable issues, and spicy scenes make this a solid, engaging sports romance. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for the ARC!

I picked this up as Lexi is a great follow and when I heard she was coming out with a book, I was excited for her! I'm not big on "Tiktok" style romances though I do enjoy hockey. I appreciated that Lexi was really accurate in describing the hockey scenes and team culture (it helps when your husband is a former NHL player!)

The relationship between Jaylen and Lucy was really sweet and evolved well over the course of the novel. Lexi's writing got better as well - her voice definitely came through in the characters and there were a few times I laughed out loud at some of the lines. There's lots of great LGBTQ+ and mental health representation in this book as well.

I was so excited when I realized this was available to read on netgalley, as I was following along Lexi’s journey writing a hockey romance on Tiktok. Being that she’s an NHL wag and an ex hockey player herself, I knew she was capable of doing the genre justice!

This book was absolutely adorable and had so many different facets that I loved. Jaylen is so adorable and is such a golden retriever, and I loved everything he would do to impress and win over Lucy. Lucy was a refreshing FMC who was alternative but never once felt “not like other girls”. She was relatable and imperfect and I truly loved that about her character.

I loved the mental health representation, LGBTQIA+ representation, and how it brings attention to the racism that is very present in hockey leagues and hockey spaces.

For this being Lexi’s first book, I think she did a really great job, and I’m really looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.

3.5/5

This was a fun little romance that I sped through really quickly!

These characters are opposites attract, one is a hockey player and the other is a tattoo apprentice. And I always love a good opposites attract. I really enjoyed how Lucy, our FMC, takes no poop from anybody and Jaylen, our MMC, was just such a softie for her.

I do wish that there was a bit more depth to the characters and the story. I found it to be just a tad flat, they feel super real and fully flushed-out to me.

Overall, I had a good time reading this. So if you're looking for a new hockey romance, I'd say to give this a try.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I was really excited for this book to come out: a real person who had a hockey romance writing a hockey romance, what can go wrong?

Unfortunately, this story rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning with the “I’m a scary girl / people don’t approach me” first liner in the book: “I don’t need an online personality test to tell me I’m a bitch when there are plenty of men who do that for me without the hassle of entering my email address.”

Another quote a page later: “I’m covered in tattoos, recently cut, bluntly chopped bangs, and box-dyed hair—a blue black that says all anyone needs to know about my current mental state. I’m only five-foot-something, but my tone is obvious: Don’t fuck with me; I’m not the one.”

Next paragraph: “I proudly show off my long-serving resting bitch face, determined to scare him out of my way without a hassle. If looks could kill, I would be a wanted woman.”

WE GET IT!! You’re a tough cookie! I just wish it was shown differently like in the guys reaction or through conversation with a friend.

It gets better when her friends and Jaylen/JJ come into the picture. They have a fun, banterfilled one night stand that had me smitten…. Could have done without this line during the smut scene: “I can’t help but watch the veins in his forearms pool with blood.” NOOOO! Veins are hot, allude to that but “pool with blood” took me right out of that scene.

JJ is a hockey star who may not have what it takes anymore as he is struggling on the ice. Lucy is an aspiring tattoo artist whose luck just never seems to go in her favor. When they meet up one night things to change for them both, and JJ proposes an unlikely partnership. As they grow to know one another they learn that there are plenty of reasons that life can keep you down - but sometimes you have to make the choice to get up anyway. Plenty of lighthearted fun, but also moments of poignancy. This one was hard to put down.

I enjoyed this book! I love hockey romances and this one really stuck out to me! I think Lucy’s character development really shone through. I loved her and Jaylens relationship and the spicy scenes were top NOTCH. Epilogues that happen in the future and include a wedding always make me tear up. This one did not disappoint! A magnificent read for anyone who needs a hockey man in their life!

Let me start with: I'm a huge hockey fan and have been for 10+ years, so a long time before Booktok was a thing and hockey romances were a massive subgenre like they are now.

Why am I starting with this? Because I can't tell you how refreshing it was to read a hockey romance where the hockey elements were accurate!! And I expected nothing less from LaFleur Brown, knowing who her husband is. But also, if you watch any of her content on TikTok, it's obvious she knows her stuff too.

That itself was enough to make me like this book, but I really did enjoy the story, too. The characters were flawed and relatable. The dialogue was natural and funny. Overall, it was a quick, fun read I'd recommend.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for this ARC ◡̈

I really wanted to love this one after I discovered the author on TikTok a while ago. As a former NHL WAG I was excited to get a true hockey romance. The book starts off with a one night stand. The FMC is an aspiring tattoo artist and has no idea that the MMC is a professional hockey player. Eventually they bump into each other and he wants her to be his “lucky charm”. The book was kind of all over the place. The beginning was so fast and clustered and randomly talking about post sex UTIs? The FMC doesn’t have a single thought she keeps to herself. The sex scenes were also just off. I did love the bi representation and the actual accurate hockey and hockey player portrayal. This book just wasn’t for me. I’m excited to see where this goes for Lexi! 1.5/5 ⭐️

Shoot Your Shot by Lexi Brown was such a fun mix of both hockey and romance. Admittedly, I may be a little bit biased, because even before I read the novel, I thoroughly enjoy Lexi’s social media presence, and had a feeling that whatever she put out I was going to absolutely gobble up. And I was right. Lexi absolutely knocked her debut novel out of the park. Her humor translated seemlesly, and without getting into spoiler territory, I loved how real Lucy and Jaylen felt. Lucy enjoyed an alt lifestyle without falling into the all too familiar i’m-not-like-other-girls narrative, and Jaylen’s struggles with his mental health made the hockey star feel like a real person instead of just an aggro heartthrob. Though there was plenty of heat-throbbery to go around by both Jaylen AND Lucy. Overall, I rate it 4.5/5 stars and big fat recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC copy of this book.

I love a good hockey romance. Unfortunately, this wasn’t it. This story follows Jaylen, a washed up hockey star trying to get a second chance in his career, and Lucy, an aspiring tattoo artist who abandoned her love of painting years ago. Lucy quickly becomes Jaylen’s good luck charm after a drunken hook up, causing a budding romance.

I struggled with the characters in this book. I did not find either of them compelling or lovable. I struggled to picture Jaylen as an elite athlete - he gave off quirky, supporting character vibes from the very beginning of the book. And Lucy was annoyingly angsty and one dimensional. I did not see these two as being a believable couple - romantic or otherwise.

Additionally, while I truly appreciated the diversity amongst the characters, I did not find any of the incredibly important issues presented to be fully developed. For example, racism is alluded to early on for Jaylen, but never to be fully explored outside of a quick mention. For a character who doubts his abilities as an athlete and explores mental health issues, this could have been a great plot point to explore. Similarly, the LGBTQ themes are mentioned often, but never discussed in a meaningful way.

This was also seen in the mental health themes that were clearly meant to be a big arc for Jaylen’s character, but only grazed upon. He was seemingly “fine” and able to cope after one or two sessions and medication.

The writing was the biggest issue for me. It was detailed at times, but overwhelmingly vague. Hockey terms and abbreviations were thrown around without explanation that I only knew from watching hockey my whole life - a casual fan would certainly struggle. It read as a YA book masking as an adult romance at best.

In sum, the plot structure and ideas are there in this book, but the execution was lacking. I pushed through hoping it would pick up, but was met with a slow plot, often skimming in an effort to finish it. Overall, a disappointing read.