I adore Lexi, and this being her first book I was sooo excited to get my hands on it early! Being an actual WAG and playing hockey herself I knew Lexi could bring a hockey romance to life having been there herself!

Jaylen and Lucy were super cute. Their love started out as a thrill for each of them in what should have been a one night stand, but turned into more when Jaylen was offered a one year contract with Seattle. I loved that Lucy, who was also struggling with what she wanted out of life, was able to inadvertently create a relationship with Jaylen without it going over the top and falling in love within a week. But I also didn't love the huge time jumps that they were not talking or what seemed like avoiding one another.

I felt like there was a lot of build up for some situations but then nothing happened or build up and then it was blown out of proportion, which I guess does fit a mid 20's relationship when both sides are struggling.

I am giving this a 3.5, rounding to 4 star, because I would have loved to see more from each character without some of the awkward moments. More character development within the relationship would have been great to see as well and not who they both wanted to be down the line.

As a hockey fan and former player, I was thrilled to be approved for this ARC because one of my biggest qualms with my beloved hockey romances are hockey inaccuracies. I’ve followed the author, Lexi, and her husband, JT (former NHL player), for quite awhile and Lexi’s such a fun person and has a personality to boot.

Now, for the story. The book was cute and delivered on the promised hockey accuracies, banter, comedy and a bit of spice. I loved the inclusion of LGBTQIA+, different races, and mental health, allowing the book more diversity than many on the market. If you follow the author, you’d know she’s a big advocate for all of these things and it was great to have them included in a fun way. Mental health was included with both main characters in different aspects and pushed back against the stigmas of mental health for men.

The main characters could’ve used a bit more fleshing out and the timeline could’ve used more clarification and shaping up, but this is the author’s first novel so I would say it’s well done despite me knocking off a star. I questioned the chemistry with the main characters and due to the timeline jumping, it felt like a whole lot of tell rather than show. There were a lot of cute moments, I just personally feel as if we lost so much in the timeline that it didn’t allow us to understand or feel their chemistry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing—Canary Street Press for providing me this ARC to read and review.

i’m sorry i love the cover and i am so intrigued by the synopsis but i didn’t realize this was in pdf. now why did it have to be pdf instead of epub??? sooo much easier. i look forward to reading this one once it’s officially released bc i refuse to read pdf

If you like hockey romance books then you should read this book. This book follows the fmc who is an artist and also trying to get into the tattoo artist space where she is interning. The mmc is a black hockey player who has been doing poorly in his hockey games and starts an agreement with the fmc for her to be a good luck charm for him since he plays better with her around. As they spend time together they get more attracted to each other and try not to date. I liked the good luck plot and the tattoo artist plot and i enjoyed the mmc. The mmc fell first and was obsessed with the fmc, both characters have trauma and issues they are working through. The romance was adorable and i thought it was also pretty real when it came to arguments and real life issues. This had multiple spicy scenes for smut lovers. I thought some parts of the book were slow, but this was a cute sports romance overall. Thanks to HTP for this arc!

Read if you like:
- Sports romance
- Bisexual fmc
- He falls first
- Black cat fmc and golden retriever

Shoot Your Shot was adorable! I am a huge Seattle Kraken fan, so finding out Lexi’s connections to the team and the city made me super excited to read it. I enjoyed the chemistry between JJ and Lucy from the start. Their banter felt natural and as their relationship progressed, it was easy to see how their comfort levels changed around each other. Shoot Your Shot is about shooting your shot in more ways than one: with romance and with following your dreams and fighting for what you want. After seasons of playing through regret and anxiety, JJ has been named “NHL’s biggest draft bust”, but a lucky break in Seattle gives him a chance with the Raniers for a season. He has to prove not only to the team, but to himself that he can find his stride and earn his spot. Lucy is an aspiring tattoo artist. After putting down paintbrushes for what she assumed would be forever, she gets roped into painting a mural for the Seattle Raniers. And one painting turns into many. As her love for JJ grows, her love for painting returns and she has to decide whether she wants to put the brushes back down, or follow the dream she’s wanted from the start.
I really enjoyed this book! Lexi is a great writer and the chemistry between the characters was wonderful. I laughed out loud multiple times and I’d definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a sweet, witty, spicy hockey romance

3.5/4

I’ve been looking forward to this book since the moment it was announced but it kind of left me wanting… more. I loved the plot and the characters so much, I just wish they were given a little bit more development.

That being said, it definitely won’t stop me from reading the author’s next book because I could NOT put it down.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review 🥰

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!

I knew the author Lexi was a hockey WAG from social media so I was interested in how that would translate to a book. I think she did a great job! I found both main characters to be likable and they seemed to really like each other. There were definitely more hockey words than any other hockey romance I have ever read! If you are a hockey romance lover go ahead and add this one to your list

I have been antcipating getting to read this romance novel, so I was really excited to receive an ARC of Shoot Your Shot. I thought it was a really good debut book, especially because it felt pretty unique compared to other hockey romances. I found the hockey played and the hockey world to feel/be pretty accurate, which is due to Lexi LaFleur Brown being able to draw from personal experiene. It added a nice sense of realism that really brought the reader into the book and felt like a behind the scenes look into what being a partner to a hockey player is like. I also liked both the main characters and the supporting characters. Lucy and Jaylen felt real and had good chemistry. I found myself laughing at many of their interactions. Lucy's group of friends were also funny and added to the story. Overall, I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to what Lexi LaFleur Brown writes next!

I will definetly be recommending this book to my friends once it's out!

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
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"The thought of loving her feels so deeply embedded into my DNA, it's nostalgic. Like it has been buried in me the whole time and I need a little reminder as to where I hid it."
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If there is one thing all hockey players have in common, it is the superstition around the game, so when Jaylen Jones meets a unique girl, and a night spent with her leads to a NFL contracts, he can't help but wonder if she is his good luck charm.
Lucy is not a good luck charm. Her life reflects that. But when a handsome NFL player offers to buy her daily coffees while she works on a mural in their arena, being his good luck charm doesn't sound so bad.
Neither Jaylen or Lucy have time for anything serious, but the closer they get, the harder it is to deny the sparks flying between them. Will they choose their careers over a chance to be lucky enough to find love?
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This is such a cute debut novel.
I think it checks all the boxes of a hockey romance that I am looking for. There are interesting characters to follow, banter between the love interest, emotional connection between the love interests, and careers that both characters are passionate about.
If you are looking for a feel-good read, then this book is for you. While the characters are working through their own trauma, you get to see them heal together, making them better to one another and better to the people around them. There is very little denial in this book, so the romance doesn't feel too drawn out or hurried when it comes to ending the book.

Since this is a debut, I do think that there are elements of the book that can be improved.
First, we hear a lot about the backstory of the characters, but I feel like the information is given to us so suddenly and randomly that I didn't have a well-rounded image of the characters. At times the characters would do things, and I didn't think they made sense to the character I thought I knew, but later a piece of them would be explained that made their past actions make a lot more sense.
I also felt a disconnection when it came to what the characters looked like. There was very little written into the book of how the characters saw each other. Aside from Lucy wearing black and platform shoes and Jaylen's dark complexion and muscles, I had very little to go off of when creating the image of the characters in my imagination.
Second, I think the pacing of this book was hard for me. Between Lucy agreeing to send texts for good luck and her spending every night at Jaylen's house, there was no mention of that shift in relationship. When I realized that she had spent every night at his house, I went back looking to see if I had missed something because the last I knew they were barely friends, so I do think those large changes in relationships need to be mentioned, or at least summarized somehow to keep the book flowing, rather than breaking it up into sections of their relationship and time that can be hard to follow. I also felt like the timing after their fight and before they made up was very unclear until someone mentioned that it had been the longest two weeks of their life. I needed that information before walking into the happily ever after because without that timeline, their time apart could have been a day or a year and how I feel about that break is largely impacted by how long it was and if the characters emotions make sense for that timeline.

All of this is just personal preference. I read a lot of hockey romance so I know that I can be particular about this genre, but this is a beautiful debut rom-com that is a great intro into the hockey romance world, and I adored reading it early!

Rating: 3.5/5

This felt so different than most hockey romance books. I am OBSESSED with these characters. I want to be in Lucy's friend group so badly. She's "weird" but also such a badass and her snarkiness is hilarious. I love that even though she seems like she's got such a tough exterior, she truly cares and takes Jaylen's mental health seriously. I like that Jaylen isn't very "cool". He's sweet and kind of bumbling, and a little bit nerdy sometimes, which isn't the norm for MMCs in sports romances. He's pretty much immediately smitten with Lucy, the sunshine to her grumpy, and even though they're so different, they felt like the perfect balance for each other. The side characters were also perfection, I don't think I've ever come across a cast of characters where I've genuinely enjoyed everyone, but from Cooper's one-liners to Anna's cheeky comments to even Lucy's mom and brother, I was smiling and laughing throughout the book. And the epilogue had me with hearts in my eyes. I love that their HEA is perfect for THEM, every bit of it fits these characters, (SPOILERS!) down to Lucy getting married in a black mini dress and fishnets. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

*thank you to netgalley and Harlequin publishing for giving me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review*

first, i have to say that i follow Lexi on TikTok and i was so excited when she announced she was writing a hockey romance book! so when i got the chance to request an ARC i knew i had to do it.

this book lived up to my expectations of what i thought it would be; a standard hockey romance book. surprisingly, there's not actually a lot of hockey in the book, so if you were hoping for long, descriptive hockey games you won't really find that here.

i thought that the characters had interesting backstory's, but at times the explanations/exploration of their pasts seemed rushed or came out of nowhere. however, these are definitely more nuanced characters than the ones in most other hockey romances, and i appreciated that! i definitely loved the lgbtq+ representation from this book as that is a rarity in the hockey world.

overall, i thought it was a fun twist on the typical hockey book, but it still contained a lot of cliched tropes and plot lines (which isn't a bad thing!). i could see where Lexi was trying to go deeper, but it fell a little flat. still a very fun read and i would recommend for any hockey romance fans!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

3.75 stars! This was such a great, easy & fun read! While it was a typical sports romance in many ways, it also exceeded my expectations in several. The technical details of the hockey games/maneuvers and some insight into hockey players’ lore (pre game rituals, superstitions, etc) made it all the more engaging!

I really loved the mental heath representation and the way in which Jaelyn discovered his own situation and then dealt with it all. I also thought that he LGBTQIA representation was wonderful, and cooper and maya had me cracking up almost every time they were mentioned. As someone who has attended several NHL pride nights, I really loved the whole scene while they were at that game!

I think Lucy was a great & complex FMC, and I loved Jaelyn - definitely furthering my desire for my very own hockey player!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a sports rom-com, and I look forward to reading more of Lexi’s books!

Thank you to Lexi, Harlequin Trade publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. I am happy to leave this honest review after reading this book.

Super fun for a first book! She nailed all the hockey info - but I wouldn’t expect anything less from her given who her hubby is! :)

Very funny and I can’t wait to see what she does in her writing career!

What a great debut novel! I couldn't wait for work to be over so I could come home and read.

I loved that Lucy was so different from the typical hockey love interest. She definitely didn't fit in any mold, and I loved that about her. Jaylen was adorable, and I loved the way he lived Lucy, but also the way he encouraged her to be herself.

I hope to see more books from Lexi!

This book checks all the boxes
LQBTQ+ rep
Mental health rep
Strong FMC
Marshmallow MMC
Characters that grow
Hockey romance

I loved that Lucy and Jaylen each had their own struggles and that they faced them. The arguments the couple had weren’t juvenile but had merit. Also, who doesn’t enjoy a HEA.

I loved this book! From the first chapter I was hooked and finished in one sitting! Such a sweet, quick read with all the humor, banter and steam I was looking for!

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this novel through NetGalley in return for my honest review

୨୧ Shoot Your Shot ୨୧
╰┈➤ [2.5 out of 5 ☆’s.]

❝𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲.❞

ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝

I would like to thank Canary Street Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!

ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝

I was so excited (and honored) when I was approved for this ARC! I <b>adore</b> Lexi and am a big fan of the content that she posts online, so I was over the moon when I heard that she was releasing a book! :)

There were some things that prevented me from loving Shoot Your Shot, though.

The dialogue wasn’t for me. I’m not a fan of over the top quippiness (i’m not sure if that’s the correct way to describe it). There are a lot of readers that love that though (it all comes down to personal preference)!

I wanted more from this story and more from Jaylen and Lucy. It needed a bit more fleshing out in my opinion. I felt as though I was being told things rather than shown them at certain points (which left me feeling a little disconnected from the characters).

On a more positive note (!!) Lexi promised accurate hockey depictions and she certainly delivered! :) I appreciated the accurate hockey plays, superstitions, etc.

I was also a big fan of the inclusion Queer characters. I love the addition of the pride tape on the cover (it’s fantastic)!

Even though certain aspects of this book didn’t work for me, I do think that it could work for others! It all comes down to personal preference. I’m rooting for Lexi and am excited to see her abilities expand as she continues to write and release more stories. ♡

I'm a sucker for a sports romance - especially hockey. I instantly requested without looking much into it. What a fun book! I loved the contrast between the two characters. Lucy is very true to herself and sticks to her guns. Jaylen is such a sweet and supportive boyfriend and, some might argue, the perfect book boyfriend. This was such a cute and quick read. I was in a reading slump when I started and this was a great book to help get me out!

Lexi Brown knows her hockey, so I had high hopes for this one! Unfortunately, it didn't really deliver. Don't get me wrong, the hockey content is pretty on point (although that moment when Jones gets the A and that contract extension are a STRETCH, not to mention that Jaylen goes from total dude to grade A stud on a show me), it's just the overall storyline that wasn't my jam.

Jaylen Jones was a generational first round draft pick who completely melted under the pressure of his first NHL season. Was it substance abuse as the media speculated? Or was there something else at play? Or was he just not the player everyone thought he was? Six years later, he has found himself washed out on a PTO in Seattle....and it's looking like he'll go unsigned. When some last minute clowning puts a player on LTIR, Jones gets the call he had lost all hope for and signs a one year show me deal in Seattle. This time, it really is his last shot to produce. He needs some luck stat, and he needs it to hold.

Enter Lucy, an aspiring tattoo artist with a terribly abusive employer who farms out a mural commission to her (again, I don't think that's how that works, but admittedly I know hockey much better than art). Lucy hates the thought of painting again after a family blow out at her senior showcase soured her on the medium for good, but if she wants a tattoo apprenticeship, it seems she may have to take this gig and make the best of it. Unfortunately, this mural just happens to be at the local NHL arena - the one where Jaylen Jones plays. That sounds innocuous enough until you learn that Lucy and Jaylen hooked up just the night before with the understanding that Jaylen was only in town for the night, and no mention at all of him being a professional hockey player! Once the shock wears off, Jaylen realizes he is winning more and has his head in the game more with Lucy around. Maybe she is just the good luck charm he needs. Can he convince her to at least hang around through the end of the season? Or will his luck run out when he needs it the most?

Overall, my biggest beef was that the main characters seemed a bit underdeveloped, and I'm really not a fan of having one character behave in a manner that is super shitty just to act as a foil to demonstrate what an outstanding person the other one is. I similarly got nervous with the whole Cam aspect of the story that this was just going to be another wounded-man-needs-a-caretaker story, but luckily it was not that! I did appreciate that Lucy and Jaylen's relationship seemed very mutual and mutually beneficial, which is rare in this genre. I also did appreciate the brief mentions of Cam's story that we got. While hockey players disproportionately come from very well-off families where their friends are less likely to fall in with drugs and gangs than professional players of other sports, this is a hugely impactful dynamic for people from low-income communities who experience success, and the survivor's guilt can be hard. She doesn't touch on that as much as on the limited aspect of Jaylen missing Cam's funeral (which honestly, I don't think is as awful as Jaylen seems to think it is, and I wish someone would have told him there are worse things to do to someone), but I just appreciate the inclusion of that dynamic.

Also, I personally really like that the sex was kept to a minimum here, but I know that's not what everyone comes to this genre for! It's high banter, low sex :)

Much thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for the review.

Finally a hockey romance that just makes sense!! I’ve been following Lexi for a while online and think she’s absolutely hilarious and so when I found out that she was writing a hockey romance I had high hopes for it considering she quite literally lived one herself. Let me tell you, this lived up to my expectations by a mile. It was funny, flirty, had great hockey portrayal, and a cast of lovable characters. Nothing about it felt cringe or unrealistic like other hockey romances I’ve tried to read. All the characters felt very real and the way that they confronted and dealt with issues that they faced in their lives also felt very authentic.

Once I picked this book up I was unable to put it down and read it all in one day and that’s the number 1 sign for me that a book was enjoyable. I fell in love and saw pieces of myself in both main characters and couldn’t wait to see what happened next in their story. If you’re a fan of hockey romance, or just sports romance in general this is perfect for you. Even if you’re not, give it a shot because I think you would enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley & Canary Street Press for the E-ARC!