This was so good! I like the authors TikToks so I was hoping to enjoy her debut, and I’m happy to say I had a great time reading this book. My first impression was that it felt a little too wordy at first, but the writing quickly grew on me. I loved the depth characters and I found the voice to be fun and fresh. I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next!

Thank you to the publisher, author & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Shoot Your Shot by Lexi LaFleur Brown was so much fun! I laughed out loud throughout the book. It also had many sweet moments and touched on some heavy subjects. I enjoyed the FmC and MMC’s banter. I was really rooting for them as a couple and individually.
At times the story and/or backstory seemed rushed or lacking in detail. Overall, a fun read especially if you enjoy sport romance.

Loved this so much. The witty banter and the chemistry between the character was so much fun to read and I couldn't put it down. It had everything you would want in a sports romance and then some.

I discovered Lexi LaFleur Brown on TikTok and was immediately drawn to her fun videos and behind the scenes insight on the NHL. “Shoot Your Shot” is a flirty, fun and emotional hockey rom-com debut from someone who’s had her own real hockey romance.

Jaylen Jones has worked his whole life to make it in the NHL but it seems his dream might be over. Out at the bar one night, he literally runs into a woman who changes this path. Lucy is an aspiring tattoo artist and being a good luck charm is the last thing she thought she’d ever be. Being lucky charm or in a relationship is the last thing she wants but Jayden is convinced she’s his lucky charm because after the first run-in, he was signed to the Seattle Rainiers. And his career and playing only gets better with each interaction they have. But as the two spend time together, it’s clear that there is more than just a superstition between them.

This book has so much packed into its story and Lexi does a great job of balancing it all out as a first time writer. Both Jaylen and Lucy are so relatable to so many people on different levels and I loved that about them. Jaylen is career driven but is still humble who works hard to be the best player he can be. He suffers from anxiety and the way he handles it in the book gives the best mental health representation. Lucy is his backbone behind that and helps him get the help he needs. I loved that we also had LGBTQ representation from Lucy and her friends. Lucy is smart, talented and tells it how it is. Her honesty is refreshing and she became a character that I Lucy is the black cat to Jayden’s golden retriever vibes and I loved these two together. They had a lot to work through together as friends, individuals and as a couple. Overall, this was a great book with accuracy about how the NHL really is and the ending for them was perfect.

A solid first outing for a new author that will definitely meet the demand for more hockey based romance novels. The characters are complex, and the relationship is sweet and believable, if a little rushed.

Thank you to Canary Street Press & NetGalley for the ARC of this hockey romance!!

Shoot Your Shot is one of the latest additions to the hockey romance sub-genre, and it's a welcome addition. It's a cute story between JJ & Lucy, and I enjoyed reading it. The story does a pretty decent job with anxiety and depression representation, and has a lot of queer representation in the main and side characters, which was great.

But, as a 30+ year resident of Seattle, I do have a pet peeve about inaccurate details of my favorite city, and as a moderately tattooed woman, I also have a few pet peeves about that as well. Little details that wouldn't necessarily distract from most readers, but details I picked up on nonetheless and definitely focused on more than most readers would.

Negative points for a typical third act breakup, but otherwise a pretty decent book. Would recommend.

Lexi LaFleur Brown's debut novel is impressive, to say the least. The story is well thought out and an enjoyable read.

This novel features Lucy, a spitfire shop assistant aspiring to be a tattoo artist and Jaylen, a down on his luck professional hockey player. On Jaylen's last night in Seattle a chance encounter with Lucy leads to them spending the night together. This initiates a change in fortune for Jaylen's career. He determines that Lucy is the causation for his streak of better luck and convinces her to become his good luck charm. What starts as a bit of innocent texting before games to fulfill superstition quickly becomes a budding romance. <spoiler>They face several trials and tribulations before ending up happily ever after. </spoiler> Lucy and Jaylen both have fantastic (although sometimes chaotic) friends in the side characters of the story and I appreciate that they are fleshed out characters too. Their friends added some additional pizzaz to the storyline along with keeping Lucy and Jaylen clearheaded. The story covers some delicate and complex topics like racism and an alcoholic parent and I feel like these topics were handled gracefully.

I really enjoyed the golden retriever boyfriend / black cat girlfriend aspects of this story. Lucy has a cutting wit and is incredibly funny. A few of my favorite quotes with absolutely zero context are:
"...while I continue to spiral into a pit of despair. It's always a pit of despair; just once I'd like to spiral into a ball pit or something fun."
"My therapist says I can't hide from my problems forever; I told her she shouldn't underestimate a competitive introvert."

Lexi is very knowledgeable about hockey and it shines through in this book. I feel like it gave an additional layer of realness. Although, I am not as familiar with some of the hockey things and had to look a few things up. I would highly recommend this book to fans of rom-coms and hockey romances.

Lastly, I want to thank Lexi for writing such a fun and delightful hockey rom-com! I would also like to thank Harlequin and Canary Street Press for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of the book!

3.5 stars!

I loved Lucy and Jaylen. It took me a little bit to get into the book, but when I did I was hooked. Lucy is a strong, independent character who knows who she is at her core. We need more of that in life.

The writing felt a little disjointed or scattered at times, which made it difficult to follow or stay in the story. This is something that I think will get even more fluid with experience. If anyone knows what Lamber and Sokov were whispering about (not shaving his back), I'd really like to know 🙃

I loved the home theme for both characters - finding homes, where you feel at home, and home being people versus just a structure.

The love for hockey, inclusivity, and mental health rep were beautifully done. It's obvious that this is something that the author cares about greatly and she treats it as such.

I will definitely read whatever she reads next!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

First, I want to say how much I appreciate the hockey aspect of this story. We are inundated with hockey romance right now, but Lexi did a wonderful job describing the hockey lingo/explanation and you can tell she’s a true fan of the sport.

It was a little hard to get into at first for me. I did put this down 25% in for a couple weeks before finishing. Felt there was a lot of unnecessary conversations/interactions that didn’t move the plot along. And there was a lot of explanation rather than showing us. But I did like Jaylen and Lucy and their dynamic. I also very much appreciate all the representation this book had, especially the mental health.

I think this was a solid debut novel and look forward to Lexi’s future books.

Thank you Canary Street Press, Lexi LaFleur Brown and NetGalley for this ARC

4⭐️3🌶️
I loved this book!! I’ve been really loving the golden retriever & black cat trope lately and this book was perfect!! The couple not only evolved in their relationship but also them selfs which I love! There was representation of anxiety, depression with real every day problems and struggles which is one of my favorite things in a romance book. The side characters are so funny and i definitely recommend this book when it comes out!!

Only complaints is the random spacing was so annoying and in one of the chapters in the middle of a sentence it would just break to the next line. Also idk if it was the momentum getting messed up by the spacing typos but I felt like some of the areas kids jumped to the next and didn’t flow. 🤔
Side note with the text threads if you made them look like actual text bubbles I think they would look really good and stand out better 🙂

thank you harlequin for the e-arc!

a heartwarming and nhl-accurate hockey romance written by my favorite hockey wife.

most of this book is quite strong. the characters are multifaceted and sympathetic, the romance is sweet, and the growth arcs that each of our MCs undergoes are compelling in their own right.

I think the romance here was enjoyable because the conflicts all felt reasonable rather than melodramatic. each time I was worried there would be a long drawn out fight or break up from a plot point I anticipated, I was instead pleasantly surprised by the characters working it out. each character was immature on occasion, but they did actually communicate, and were each clearly benefitting from having a therapist. both of our MCs were very work focused, and I loved that they were able to continue prioritizing their dreams while being together as well.

each character has to work through a lot, and I feel like it was written in a compassionate and honest way. I did actually buy the self-growth arcs of each MC, and it made me feel good to watch things turn out ok. the main plot that hooks our characters together is quite silly, but it’s cute and not not believable in the hockey context.

my largest complaint is the prose quality. definitely a bit tell-y rather than show-y, and I think the dual-POV is also used to get around having to convey emotions more subtly. there are some kind of clunky moments as well. however, I know this is a debut, so I give some leniency, and I also didn’t find that it pushed me out of the story, so it isn’t a big deal. other complaint is that the side characters are barely developed and pretty archetype-like, but none of them in offensive or annoying ways

Shoot Your Shot is a cute hockey romance following Lucy and Jaylen.

Lucy is a former artist who is trying to make it in the tattoo space, and Jaylen is a struggling NHL player whose career might just be over if he doesn't secure a contract before the end of the season. Jaylen convinces her to be his good luck charm for the season in exchange for a favor. It sounds like an easy trade but soon feelings get involved.

Both main characters have had their troubles in life, I liked that they pushed each other to be better and follow their passions.

This was an easy and fun read. The author is married to a former NHL player so I liked seeing how she put her experience/knowledge within that space into the book. I think there are certain parts that could have been more flushed out, but overall it's a good debut novel.

A few highlights:
•forced proximity
•sports romance
•bi-rep
•banter
•he falls first
•dual POV
•black cat/golden retriever vibes

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.

Actual rating: 3.5⭐

I loved Lucy’s take no shit attitude and Jayden’s golden retriever energy. Their meet cute is adorable and opposites attracting is always fun.

I do love sports romances but something about this wasn’t doing it for me. Not enough for me to consider DNFing but I just wanted to finish it to move on. Overall a cute, simple read. Although I wouldn’t go out of my way to read it.

I loved JJ and lucy together. Such an unexpected romance. The story did drags at times. I wished the epilogue was a little longer and showed more of JJ and Lucy's future together.

3.5 rounded up

Debut novel from a hockey professional? Hockey, romance, quirky characters? Sign me up.

When Lucy and Jaylen meet they think it's only for one night. But when things start going really well for Jaylen, he convinces Lucy to be his lucky charm. What she thinks will be a few good luck texts turns into so much more.

The hockey aspects of this book were spot on. I also really appreciated the mental health and the lgbtqia+ representation - both were handled beautifully.

I am giving this a 3.5 because while I ended up enjoying the last half of the book, I felt like I could have used some more background. I got lost in some of the hockey lingo - and some of the slang that was used. Nice debut book!

If you’re in the mood for a fun and flirty read, I highly recommend Shoot Your Shot! This book is a delightful mix of romance and humor, featuring relatable characters that you can’t help but root for.

What I loved most about this story is the way it captures the excitement and awkwardness of modern dating. The witty banter between the characters is both charming and laugh-out-loud funny, making it a joy to read. Lexi LaFleur Brown has a talent for creating chemistry that leaps off the page!

The themes of taking chances and embracing vulnerability really resonated with me. It’s a refreshing reminder that sometimes, you just have to go for it, whether in love or life. If you’re looking for a lighthearted escape that will leave you smiling, Shoot Your Shot is definitely worth picking up!

3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. What a fun read and great sports romance. Parts of this story excelled for me and some fell a bit flat.

Things I LOVED - Jaylen and Lucy are both really great main characters. I liked that they felt like real people to me just trying to navigate a challenging world. Excellent mental health rep and LGBTQIA+ rep. I really appreciated that Jaylen and Lucy were perfectly imperfect for each other. The opening scene of the book hooked me right in. It was beautifully done and not your typical meet cute.

Things that fell a little bit flat - the romance itself as the book went on. It just felt like something was missing overall with the pacing/details and storyline.

Overall, a great debut book and I am excited to read more from this author! Also, the cover is stunning and perfect.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for the ARC copy! I am excited to provide an honest review.

Overall, this was a 3.75/5 read for me. This is one of the better hockey romances I have read. Jaylen and Lucy were truly unproblematic characters in the way that they were both level-headed and not overly dramatic. Their story together was a refreshing read and is the most realistic situation I have ever read in the hockey romance genre. Both of their characters had their own internal issues they were dealing with and it was shown throughout the book. Watching their characters work through their issues and grow with each other was done in such a real way that I related and could have seen this happen in my personal life.

I know some may find the humor and references cringey, but I adored it all. This is why I probably relate to it since the characters also have similar interests that I do personally.

After I read the book, I did a bit more research on the author and did not realize she came from a hockey background! I think that makes her well-suited in the genre of actually providing real-life situations and problems that world brings.


This was a great read and I would recommend it to my friends and family if they are looking for an easy and sports romance where it is not too cheesy.

This is one of my most anticipated romance releases fro 2024. I began following the author on social media a while ago. I think her insights on the world of ice hockey are so interesting and she is such a relatable person. I was excited to see how this translated into a romance book.

Unlike some of the other hockey romance books I've read I felt like this book had a lot of depth. Both characters are dealing with very real world issues. Lucy is just a girl trying to find a place in this world sharing her art. Jaylen is just trying to be a pro hockey player. One day they meet and their lives become interconnected.

I think there's some really fun lgbtqia+ rep in their friends and in a couple of the scenes with events that the characters attend. The story also touches on grief and mental health. I thought the scenes with Jaylen's mental health were done really well. It was refreshing to see characters on the page who are imperfect in very realistic ways.

My favorite part of this book was the banter. The author has a very witty writing style that's fun to read.

What a little cutie of a book! As a queer hockey-loving romance reader in need of a comfort read, this one hit.

The biggest win for me was the pro-mental health messages, the embrace of the queer sports community, and the depiction of very un-toxic masculinity in sports. I know that’s not super realistic, but sometimes books are meant to be an imagining of a better world, and damn do I want to live in that world. Also, props to the author for being maybe the first author ever to accurately describe what a panic attack feels like.

Strong character development is what sets a just okay romance apart from a really great one in my opinion, and the character development was decent, especially for a debut. My only critique of the novel is that at times I felt the characters could have dug a tad deeper with their introspection. There were some really big feelings explored in this novel and it sometimes felt like I was left to fill in the blanks, especially related to the guilt of both characters surrounding the two big dramas in the book.

Less important, but still a win—it was nice to read a hockey romance written by someone who knows hockey. Looking forward to more from this author in the future!