Shoot Your Shot was such a fun way to get lost in the hockey romance world! reverse grumpy sunshine was so much fun, and I love the creativity behind the artist FMC. Also loved that the POC MMC was very obvious in his tone and mannerisms, its not often written so well, and that was noticed right off the bat!

Their "accidental" one night stand that turned into forced proximity turned into he falls first... gave me everything I needed in a hockey romance.

Need a fun trip to the hockey rink with a spunky (hopeful) tattoo artist and a hockey player with just too much optimism?? You will love this one!

Also, the audio was AMAZING. I loved the way the narrators told this story, the casting was perfect!!

one of the best interracial hockey romances I have picked up!

First time reading a Book by this author, and it was cute! The way the Meet Cute happened without really happening, if you get my drift. I received the audiobook via Netgalley to listen to for my Honest opinion, and I can honestly say that I did love both narrators, Kristen DiMercurio; Jamal Roque are new to me narrators, and even though Jamal was way too enthusiastic for me in some parts but I loved it! And that epilogue was so fun! loved that even more as well!

I loved this audiobook! I enjoyed the dynamic between our two main characters and the situations they were both in. I liked how the comedy was woven into the book alongside the romance!

The female main character was awesome. I think she was written well a lot of people who struggle are really good about being able to help others but it takes longer to be able to fix their own issues. It’s nice to have a book where the male main character also have anxiety and panic attacks and using a huge platform to say hey look even the toughest looking of us can be affected. The story line was cute it was a breath of fresh air not to see the same type cast for the female main character. Her edgy more open vibe was endearing and made her a lot more relatable. I like the fact that they actually took time to figure out what they wanted she worked on her own self for two weeks before going back and he realized he was able to be his own positivity. The fact that it wasn’t a oh we are going to be married quickly made me happy too. I like the fact the relationship started out with faults rather than trying to only promote good things. I liked the narration for this audiobook the narrator really met the feel of this story and was good for it. It flowed well and I didn’t feel like I needed to listen to it at all faster rate.

For all romances that have a 3rd act break up (reviewed by me at least) are gonna have a lower rating than one that doesn’t. This one was especially heinous and ruined all the good parts I loved about this book especially when it happened at 90% through. I loved Bisexual rep that was in this book, like it wasn’t a huge focal point but so present and there enough to just ✨be✨. I loved the hockey aspect, the funny rocky start between this couple, and the setting in Seattle. Thank you Harelquin Audio for this ARC copy. #arc #hockeyromance

Disclaimer: I received this as an ALC in exchange for an honest review— thank you! 🤗

Hockey, accurate. Queer rep, got it. Mental health rep, got it.

I just found the FMC to be insufferable and kind of a pick-me? Lucy did soften up a bit after dating Jaylen, and the self-sabotage was real, but I think I was able to get over it by the end of the book. I did like how she was able to create a healthy boundaries for herself after Jaylen's article was released.

J, JJ, Jaylen... my dude is just so nice. Aside from being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, he was kind of too perfect? He didn't really have any other flaw. His mental health was worked on fairly quickly and then he was just hitting milestone after milestone.

As a couple, they were kind of opposites, which is why they worked. They shared some cute moments. And definitely some... <i>quirky</i> ones. Insert cat cleaning scene.

I would rate this a 2.5 stars if I could, only rounded up because I felt the narrators in the audiobook did a good job at capturing the personalities of each character. Lucy's narrator really got the attitude of the FMC and her friends down. Jaylen's narrator could hit the energetic parts and the more mellow dialogue.

Shoot your shot

Thank you NetGalley for an ALC in return for an honest review.

I was super excited to read this because hockey romance is my vibe. However, these characters didn’t do it for me. The story had the golden boy hockey player, artist girl, and tension; but the romance didn’t hit for me. The characters were lacking chemistry and I couldn’t picture them together, which then made it hard to follow them for the duration of the story.

I did appreciate the detail of the hockey aspect. Sometimes hockey romances stray from the game but I liked that there was information and knowledge of the sport in this story.

I didn’t love the writing style and found myself often confused as to what was happening. I’m not sure if it was because I was listening to it or because there were minor inconsistencies in the writing.

Overall, this wasn’t for me, but I am glad that I listened to it.

I enjoyed this book! I love a good slow burn romance, especially when you can feel the chemistry between the characters! Loved how the author touched on the mental health aspects of the characters. Was a cute and easy read!

This was an easy read but I wish it had more depth and was less trope-y. Each queer character including Lucy seemed to be a caricature of their sexuality personified. Some of the hockey terms that weren't explained went over my head and there was much more telling than showing throughout the book. Lucy was a very unlikeable main character and she didn't seem to have many redeeming qualities at all. I did love how supportive she was with Jaylen through his mental health struggles and how willing he was to let her be there for him during that time. Overall it was an okay book but didn't blow me away like I was expecting. I'm curious to see if Lexi LaFleur Brown will grow as an author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the review copy of this audiobook.

I loved the relationship between JJ and Lucy. But, this one fell a little short for me. I just couldn't connect to the characters. However, I would give this author another chance.

Unfortunately I DNF’d @ 44% i just couldn’t get into the story. I had a hard time connecting with both for storyline and the characters. I know there are readers who will love this book, but it’s not for me. Doesn’t mean I won’t read more of her books. The writing is there I just didn’t love the story as a whole

I really enjoyed the narrators for this book. They saved the story for me. I did find this book to be entertaining and had some really cute and funny parts but it did fall flat for me in places. Although I loved both main characters I did find that they did not have much chemistry together.

Overall this book was fun just not memorable to me but I would give this author another chance!

Thank you for this opportunity!

I read this book when it first came out after one of my hockey loving friends said this was the only hockey romance she would read. While I was relieved that it wasn't heavy on the hockey, I loved the non-traditional grumpy, bisexual, chronic "dater," black cat FMC. She's an aspiring tattoo artist, but really she's an artist and watching the smoke build between her and JJ was addicting. Lucy has great friends, but really thrives with the love-hate evolution of her relationship with JJ. The spice is great.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for the audiobook.

The book is ok, the story is not that deep and I'm meh about the character. The banter and conflict felt kinda forced. Sadly I don't remember any of the side characters. The introduction of a fur baby was not needed. I do love the cover. I didn't listen to the whole book in one sitting, so I forgot the bases of the story is JJ forcing interaction because of his superstitious.

Not my cup of tea. I really wanted to like this because I love hockey romances. But this did not hit the mark for me.

This isn’t a bad book, but I didn’t feel a connection between the characters. They did have good character growth, but I wish there was more romance and less hockey information. I feel like I listened to a timeline of someone’s relationship and not a love story.

This is a heartwarming story of “when you know, you know”. The journey to complete strangers to friends to lovers was so sweet. We must protect JJ at all costs. I loved seeing both JJ and Lucy finding themselves and healing together (and maybe each other 🥹).

Jaylen “JJ” Jones is an NFL hockey player who is unsure where he would be playing. Lucy Ross is an aspiring artist who feels that she is stuck. After meeting Lucy, JJ's luck changed, and the "logic" theory is that Lucy is his good luck charm. JJ and Lucy agree on a good luck text in exchange for tattooing practice for Lucy’s portfolio

Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook. At times, the story felt weighed down with unnecessary details. Other times, I felt that the pacing of the story was off. I am so glad I was listening to the audiobook. As someone who is a hockey romance fan, I felt that there was too much hockey in it. Kristen DiMercurio and Jamal Roque did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. The narrators enhanced my reading experience.

This was a mess.

DNF @49% after the FMC gives the MMC a tattoo, as a shop assistant hoping someday to become an apprentice and it being the first tattoo she's ever given. No other artists around, at night when the shop is closed. Having no tattooing experience, just having "a ton" of tattoos and being a former painter. Tattooing on skin is not the same medium as painting on paper?? hello??

Already was not loving the book but that's the final nail in the coffin lol

This has:
- Grumpy bi FMC x golden retriever straight MMC
- FMC is an assistant at a tattoo shop x NHL player MMC
- One night stand to forced close proximity
- Random plot arc of FMC needing to do a mural at the hockey rink - how this got booked, the world will never know.
- Queer friend group that falls into all the 'insert stereotype for identity' realm, that is more cringe than tongue in cheek. (lesbian friend being a uhaul girl moving super fast, cheating bisexual ex, FMC is a self described slutty bi, gay friend is just the 'yas queen' super loud gay best friend who talks sex life details with her.) I like when an author plays into stereotypes in a fun and nuanced way, this felt clunky and awkward any time a 'queer friend' showed up on page.
- Sex scenes are lackluster. Not the end of the world but there's a lot of "he sucked her clit. she came. he thrust. she came. it was amazing" meh writing.
- The FMC is a certified cool girl, who is grumpy and not NLOG and is super cool and tattooed and did we mention she is cool?
- Telling rather than telling writing style, which isn't my thing.

Not even the narration could entice me to finish this one.

Arc from Netgalley.

thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the Audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ngl this is pretty mid. The narrators were both very good in their own respect I just didn't love them reading together. Idk I think the voices were so different in tone and range that didn't mesh completely for me.
Although the Lucy (FL) said like "I'm not your manic pixie dream girl" she most definitely was.
I will say I liked Lucy's story and background being SO queer, but to end up with a straight dude who know so little of the queer alt community is kinda disappointing and I know like it does happen in real life but also... no thank you.
JJ's (ML) story was fine, I think that it's great that he created a non-profit for his friend but with the everything that was going on with Lucy it felt small.
Also the beginning felt like that movie with Chris Pine and Lindsay Lohan, Just My Luck. Like the going back and forth with the idea of luck.
And for that reason 2.5/5 ⭐