Fun and flirty, but lacking depth

Shoot Your Shot is a breezy, easy read with charming characters and plenty of playful banter. Lexi LaFleur Brown captures the energy of a modern romance well, and the chemistry between the leads is undeniably entertaining.

That said, the story often felt a bit surface-level. The character development could have gone deeper, and some emotional moments didn’t quite land. The plot also leaned heavily on familiar tropes without offering much of a fresh twist.

Still, if you're looking for a light, feel-good romance to breeze through in an afternoon, this might be a good pick. Just don’t expect it to linger with you long after you turn the last page.

Ehh, so this was a book. Was it the mother of all hockey romances? Hardly. Do I care that the hockey was accurate? They could be playing quidditch for all I care, I’m here for a good time, I give not a one iota about the sport authenticity in a fictional book.

I really wanted to see this succeed, as it’s her novel debut. But maybe don’t talk it up like it’s the second coming of the hockey rom com, but then deliver no romance and no comedy.

I did not like either main character, Lucy reads like a hipster pick me and Jaylen was giving real life man. (Mini spoiler, if you have to use spit to get her ready, you are not doing like any fictional boyfriend I want). Probably because I wasn’t vibing with the characters, the sex scenes left me dryer than Sahara desert.

Even the factors (LGBTQ characters, mental health rep and BiPOC rep) that would be redeeming felt superficial.

Thank you Net Galley and Harlequin for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shoot Your Shot by Lexi LaFleur Brown absolutely nailed it! This audiobook had me laughing through the banter, tearing up at the emotional depth, and swooning over every second of Jaylen and Lucy’s chemistry. Kristen DiMercurio and Jamal Roque brought the story to life perfectly—Jamal is Jaylen, and Kristen gave Lucy the exact edge and vulnerability she needed.

The mental health representation felt so authentic and layered, and the “lucky charm” dynamic was just the right mix of funny, steamy, and surprisingly heartfelt. Add in bisexual rep, golden retriever energy meets black cat vibes, and a relationship-of-convenience twist that actually made sense? Total win.

This was a standout debut that made me feel all the things—and I’d relisten in a heartbeat.

3.5 stars! This one had so much charm. The chemistry between Jaylen and Lucy was super fun, and the whole “lucky charm” setup was cute without being too cheesy. I liked Lucy’s drive and how much she wanted more for herself, and Jaylen was the perfect mix of cocky and sweet.

But what threw me off? The hockey details. I know it’s a rom-com and not a playbook, but some of the inaccuracies were hard to ignore once I noticed them. It kind of took me out of the story when things didn’t line up with how the sport actually works.

Still, if you’re here for the steamy vibes, tattoo artists, and a little “fake it till you make it” romance, you’ll probably enjoy it. It’s light, flirty, and has just enough emotional tension to keep things interesting.

Shoot Your Shot had potential, and I appreciated the inclusion of actual hockey scenes—a rare find in sports romance. The LGBTQ+ representation was a nice touch, though I wish the female main character’s identity had been explored more meaningfully. Unfortunately, the romance fell flat for me. There was little chemistry between the leads, and the male main character felt one-dimensional. While the story had some solid moments, it didn’t fully deliver on the emotional or romantic front

This was a cute book. I like how inclusive this book was and that it talked about mental health issues. I listened to this book and both narrators really did a great job and added to the plot. There was some spice in this book, but it didn't take over the book. I thought it was very well played that the MCs showed real world issues (i.e. new jobs, moving and fights in relationships). All in all, I enjoyed this quick hockey romance read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This one did fall a little flat for me. I felt as though there was not a lot happening throughout the entire book. I never felt a connection between the two main characters. There seemed to be a lot of stereotypes thrown in that were out of place.
Overall this book just was not for me. If you are look for a quick and easy listen you could give this a try. The audiobook itself and the narrators did a great job. Thank you Netgalley for the ALC!

3.75 stars for me!
I was a little worried because some of the reviews were not so flattering, but I enjoyed the book. It certainly isn't in my top favorites of sports romance books, but it was still a good book.
The characters are written well and developed, I do some room for further development.
The plot was good - short and sweet. I do think it could use some strengthening, but it was well structured. I just found myself wanting a bit "more" from the story.
I think for a quick read, this is a good book.
I do think if you love sports romance books, this is worth giving a try!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Shoot Your Shot by Lexi LaFleur Brown was a fun sports romance. When an out of character one-night stand throws an artist questioning her life plan and a hockey player gunning for the comeback of a lifetime together, Jaylen must convince Lucy that they work well together. The slow-burn burned alright, and while there was a LOT happening, it wasn't overly distracting. There were fun side characters that added to the narrative, and Kristen DiMercurio and Jamal Roque did a wonderful job bringing the story to life.

First and foremost I want to thank the Publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener copy of Shoot Your Shot. I have been on such a hockey romance kick lately and I have seen quite a bit of buzz on social media about this one, however, this just did not live up to my expectations. Nothing felt new or innovative about the plot or the characters. Nothing really kept me interested in wanting to continue the story.

I was really excited because this was being advertised as a hockey romance that accurately depicted hockey and incorporated more of the actual sport for the sporty girls who actually are interested in hockey and unfortunately that did not make the story any better. I think that the author just did not accurately match the tone of her work to her target audience. Everything felt a little too over explained.

Another miss for this one was that the FMC was very much "not like other girls" and it made reading this truly insufferable. I did not want to be inside of her head at all. The spice in this felt very juvenile, I almost wish there was none and this was marketed more as a YA book to be honest. I think that demographic would've enjoyed this more with the author's writing style.

As far as the actual audiobook. I think the narrator did a fine job for what they were given. No amount of great narration could've made me enjoy this one.

Unfortunately this was just a miss all around for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harliquin Audio for the audio ARC

🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧

2 ⭐️ ⭐️

As far as the audio goes it wasn’t bad. The narrator was fine. The audio flowed. Not an issue and the only reason it got two stars to be honest

The story not so good. I’m a huge sucker for hockey romance but this wasn’t it. It has elements of a good romance but it just didn’t work all together.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I so wanted to like Shoot Your Shot as I enjoy sports themed plots. But this was laborious to get through. The FMC never got me on her side. Certainly a character doesn’t have to be cute and cuddly to be liked, but Lucy was so one dimensional and, while the MMC was likable, I would have liked more character development for both MCs. The writing felt like it was constantly forced.

Sadly, I do not recommend. ⭐️⭐️

Unfortunately this book fell flat for me. The characters were very one dimensional and were shoved into stereotypes - especially the side characters. The MMC was decent but the FMC was painful to read. The author was trying too hard to make her different and unique. The story was all tell and no show - and was full of cheesy one liners and cliches. While I can appreciate that the world of hockey was suppose to be accurate - it didn't help improve the overall book when the rest of the areas struggled.
I just think if you are looking for a cute hockey romance - you can find it elsewhere!
The audiobook was good - I didn't mind the narrators.

4 stars for story / 4 stars for performance
Audiobook - dual narration by Jamal Roque and Kristen DiMercurio
Tropes: Hockey, LGBTQ+ rep, Black Cat FMC, Cinnamon Roll MMC

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this gifted audiobook - all opinions are my own.

I really liked these characters, main and side both. Lucy was everything I image when I picture a "black cat" esque FMC. She was relatable in so many ways and her self-confidence issues made her so relatable and easy to root for. Jaylen was the ultimate cinnamon roll MMC. The fact that he was on his way out of the NHL was refreshing for a hockey romance. I loved that he was fighting for his spot and that he was so reliable on Lucy made for a great storyline. Add in some family trauma on her side and other mental health issues (great representation) and I was locked in.

The narrators did an amazing job in this dual style performance. This is a great example of why I will never pass up a solo or dual narrated audiobook. I never had an issue keeping any characters straight, even in scenes where multiple side characters were involved as well. Both were new to me and I will definitely be looking out for them in the future.

There was so much going on in the first part of the book that it was very difficult for me to keep up with. I tried to stick it out after that, but it was just confusing. Stopped at 20%. I received an advanced copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

Chapter 8, 1:30-1:40, has repeat words.

Decent book. Kind of simple typical romance. I like that it was a black hockey player, that is unusual. But, it was mentioned only a couple of times, otherwise, the character was written like any other hockey player and I would have never known his race. Not a bad book. If you want a simple typical romance, this is your read.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because the MMC is really all the green flags

I received this audio ARC from NetGalley.
The voice actors did a great job on the characters, particularly the male voice actor. Both were easily understandable, even sped up. Even the male actor’s” female voice”, which are notoriously hard to understand when sped up.

There was 1 star lost because there were just too many buzzwords, I felt like it was a woke check list of sayings, stereotypes, inside jokes (that fall flat because they are so well known it’s not funny). They aren’t necessarily harmful stereotypes but as examples- the gay male bestie who sleeps around, the lesbians who drive Subarus. Just kinda over done.
The loss of the .5 star was because the FMC was wholly unlikable for damn near the whole book. I have no idea how the MMC fell for her other than he was clearly VAGotized. I just kind of felt that the romance was unbelievable because the only real thing that they shared for a large portion of the book was a physical relationship. Everything else he just kind of gave into her because she’s this “black cat,” “bitch” and he’s the “golden retriever”. He didn’t necessarily make her a better person and she didn’t make him a better person. I was really hoping to see more growth in that direction.

As somebody who had a very difficult childhood with a lot of trauma related to parental drug abuse and abandonment, I do feel like the dynamics you’ll see play out between the FMC and her father are very realistic and handled with care.

Shoot your Shot
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It started off as a cute love story. Then it went the other way. I loved the Hockey part of the story. It just didn't hold for me. The end got a little better.
Thank you NetGalley

This was such a fun debut! Shoot Your Shot blends hockey, humor, and just the right amount of heat with a charming "relationship of convenience" setup that worked really well.

Jaylen is superstitious and sweet—definitely the golden retriever type—while Lucy brings a grumpy, guarded energy that balances him out perfectly. Their dynamic felt natural, and I really enjoyed watching their connection grow beyond the lucky charm deal.

There were a few slower parts where I wanted the story to move along a little quicker, and I was hoping for more depth in Lucy’s storyline outside of the romance. But overall, this was a solid, enjoyable read with great chemistry and some laugh-out-loud moments.

A great pick if you like sports romance with a touch of steam and heart!

I tried really hard but just could not get into this. The chemistry is where? IDK not in this book. The only redeeming quality is that the hockey is at least accurate but honestly I would rather have a compelling romance in exchange for less accurate sports representation.