Enjoyed this next book in the Storm hickey romances. A good enemies to lovers troupe. Strong professional woman meets strong hockey player. Looking forward to the next in the series. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #GlovesOff #NetGalley

3.5 stars

I usually love a good enemies-to-lovers, but this one just felt forced and honestly, kind of dumb. The “enemies” part was more about miscommunication and immature behavior than genuine conflict, and some of the things they said to each other in the beginning were just annoying. I couldn’t get behind the FMC’s reasoning for letting him believe certain things — it didn’t make sense and dragged on for way too long. The whole marriage of convenience setup was rushed, and their terrible acting made it painfully obvious that it was fake (it made me cringe internally).

Once they stopped hating each other and genuinely started forming a friendship, the story felt more grounded, and I found myself rooting for them. Once they finally started opening up to each other, the emotional payoff was satisfying, and the way their relationship evolved felt authentic. I also really enjoyed the incorporation of flower meanings and how they subtly mirrored the growth of their feelings — it added a unique, thoughtful touch.

If you’re in the mood for a hockey romance with a lot of angst, a slow-burn vibe, and some sweet, symbolic moments, I would check it out!

Thank you to Ballantine, Stephanie Archer and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great Canadian hockey romance where the man is a strong loveale athele but at home they are non stop fighting. On the ice he is star but when he gets home things are not as good.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! After receiving the ARC copy, I realized I’d missed the first three books in the series, so I went back to complete them prior to diving in to this installment. Let me say, I am SO glad I received this copy to open my eyes to the world of Stephanie Archer! All of the books in these series were absolutely wonderful, leading me to laugh, experience frustration, kick my feet in joy, and leave me with an overall sense of happiness.

For this book in particular, I went into it with an open mind, not completely feeling a connection between the two characters from the previous books. However, the grumpy/black cat trope is my new favorite. I don’t need sunshine and golden retrievers… this is what I am here for! After getting into it, I loved the dynamic between these two, along with the glimpses into past (and likely future) MMCs and FMCs. It was great watching these two people, completely set in their ways and minds made up about one another, grow as the story progressed.

While good as a standalone, I’d highly encourage reading the other books first to really give a better picture of the relationship between these two. Fabulous book!

Am I a sports romance girlie now??

I tend to avoid enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience in contemporary romances as the reasons never seem to match up to the level of hatred, but Archer pulled it off here!! Volkov needs a green card, Georgia needs her inheritance, what’s to do but marry each other? Too bad they can’t stand each other and everyone knows!

These two hate each other and are legit mean to each other! Like, for no reason than they find the other hot and make a bad first impression. It was intense and I LOVED it!! Watching them try to act the loving couple in front of their closest friends and family was very entertaining. As they get to know each other more, feelings start to emerge and they have to decide if their hatred may be getting in the way of their happiness.

Volkov is the ultimate “my wife” guy and Georgia has a serious praise kink and they compliment the other so well! The banter and tension between this two is phenomenal and had me laughing and gasping out loud.

This is the first book I’ve read by Archer, but I’m going to have to read the rest of this series because this one is so amazing!

Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

Gloves Off was such a fun and romantic read! Loved the marriage of convenience, the emotional growth, and the swoony romance. Spicy, funny, and totally satisfying.

Gloves Off was such a cute, feel-good read! Stephanie Archer delivers another swoony rom-com packed with charm, tension, and just the right amount of spice. I absolutely loved Alexei — he’s the perfect mix of grumpy, guarded, and secretly soft. His banter with the heroine was top-tier, and watching his walls slowly come down was so satisfying.
The chemistry? Off the charts. The emotional beats? Surprisingly tender. had me going MEEEP!

Gloves off was so good! I really enjoyed this book! I have read the first three in the series and was really excited for an enemies to lovers book! I’m not going to lie I was scared because some authors cannot write enemies to lovers without taking me hate a character but I seriously loved these two! The Banter between Georgia and Alexei was TOP TIER! They are so down bad for eachother and I’m already in suspense for the next book! I love them so much and I can’t wait for more!!

Ever have a book make your face hurt because you smiled too much reading it?

One of the really fun things about a series of interconnected standalones is when you can see an author laying the foundation for a future book in side characters in the background-and then that author DELIVERS. (And yes, as a marriage of convenience story, there is absolutely a swoonworthy MY WIFE moment.)

Alexei and Georgia and their sniping at each other in previous books had my excited for their story. The opening scene? Absolutely crackled with tension. Even when Alexei is being a snarky a-hole, even when he claims he "hates" Georgia, the way he SEES her proves how much he's been paying attention all along. His angry caretaking in the vein of "I don't actually like you, but you're a disaster, so I must make you dinner, shut up and eat it" was delightful, especially when met with Georgia flabbergasted (but secretly pleased) surprise every time he manages to show her how much he cares under the sniping.

I also really loved the work that went into showing why these characters don't just talk to each other. It's not that a conversation would have solved it, either-both of them start out so wrapped up in their own baggage that honest words wouldn't have worked. Watching them peel back each others layers, finding the truth beneath the misconceptions while "stuck" married to each other? Yes please.

There's just something about an enemies to lovers marriage of convenience combination that will make me weak EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. When you add in sports romance with a scorching hot, grumpy and almost anti-social MMC coupled up with a vivacious, intelligent and confident FMC... I'm bowing down at the author's feet.

In case it wasn't immediately obvious, Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer had all of these things. The tension between Alexei and Georgia was so thick you could cut a piece off and spread it like butter on toast. The mutual state of denial and hidden pining had me squirming in anticipation. Both main characters of this story were flawed and (at times) a little bit despicable toward each other, but there was plenty revealed in the background details that kept the story from veering into uncomfortable territory. And, the farther into the book you get, the more each character starts to have a change of heart, and seeing how they softened to each other and shifted their impressions/beliefs was so, so rewarding.

I loved that, even after getting married and moving in together, they shift in their opinions and attitudes wasn't immediate. I loved that by the end of the book their relationship felt hard fought for and hard won. As someone who's admittedly not a big fan of insta-love in my romance novels, this book had EXACTLY what I was hoping for. Enough attraction between both characters to hook me and get me invested early on, but a romance that felt organic and well paced throughout.

Beyond the main characters and the development of their relationship, though, this book also had the found family, banter, and sprinkles of comedy throughout that always take a book to the next level for me. I adored how much we got to see of Alexei's teammates and their partners. I adored how supportive they were of the main characters and how they still felt fully fleshed out despite being on the sidelines of the story. As someone who's not very knowledgeable about hockey in real life I also really appreciated how well executed the scenes with actual gameplay were. It was the perfect balance of being readable and authentic. It also really helped cement this book as a sports romance vs a romance that just happens to feature a character who plays a professional sport.

All in all I DEVOURED Gloves Off. It was my first book by Stephanie Archer but most certainly won't be my last. She's an author I've been interested in reading for while now and this book officially convinced me that I need to fast track her other works to the top of my TBR. For that reason and many mother, an endless amount of thank you's need to be given to NetGalley and Dell Romance for providing me with an ARC. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to read this book early and I'm already desperate to have a physical copy on my trophy shelves.

Links to my Amazon review, and my review on my bookstagram account (@andthatswhyweread) will be added closer to or on release day as they go live.

Stephanie Archer has done it again. I found this book and knew it would be something I would love. I read the 3 books that proceeded it and I was so happy with this book.

Alexei and Georgia were so much fun to get to know. Their story is a perfect example of judging others to soon. It was wonderful watching them learn about each other and watch their impressions change. I was so happy with the ending and am excited to read the next book when it comes out.

Brava.

This was a slow start for me but these characters grew on me! Of course love the hockey aspect of it. I really enjoyed watching these two characters grow with each other while still being their own individual selves. I LOVED the flower thing that was going on throughout the book!

An absolute knockout—Gloves Off is everything I adore about romance wrapped in one irresistible, slow-burn, hockey-sized package!

Stephanie Archer has done it again! Gloves Off is pure romance perfection, and I am head-over-heels obsessed with this series. From the first page, I knew I was in for a treat—grumpy/sunshine dynamic? Check. Marriage of convenience? Check. A brooding NHL enforcer who secretly has the softest heart? CHECK.

Alexei Volkov might be the grumpiest, most guarded man in professional hockey, but watching him unravel for his fake wife had me positively melting. His gruff one-liners, his quiet acts of love (the flowers! the cooking! the protectiveness!), and that infuriating denial of feelings made every scene between him and the heroine feel electric. Their banter had me laughing, their chemistry had me swooning, and by the end, I was completely undone.

The marriage of convenience trope is one of my favorites, and Gloves Off uses it so well—it never feels forced or overdone. The fake marriage quickly blurs into something tender, real, and so emotionally satisfying. Watching their pretend relationship turn into something honest and vulnerable had me grinning like a fool—and maybe clutching my chest a few times.

I can’t say this enough: I adore this series. Each book somehow gets better, and Alexei and his fierce, fabulous heroine have absolutely cemented themselves as one of my favorite couples. If you love romance that brings the heat and the heart, this book is for you.

Stephanie Archer, you’ve got me hooked. I never want this series to end.

She's done it again!! Stephanie remains my favorite romance writer- her books are always SO fun. Can't wait for the next

I absolutely loved Gloves Off.

Each book in the Vancouver Storm series has its shining moments, and Georgia and Alexei’s story is no exception. I was glad to finally learn more about their shared past, especially after their smoking hot tension was teased in earlier books. Also, I’m obsessed with Damon and Stefan.

Can’t wait for Ward and Jordan’s book!

Thank you to the author, Stephanie Archer, and Random House for this ARC!

IF I COULD EAT THIS FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER, I WOULD.

Alexei and Georgia are some of the best main characters I have encountered. I adore forced proximity, I hate you until I love you, I'm mean to you because I don't know how to regulate myself emotionally, and nobody teases my partner but me. Fake marriages turned real are truly the tastiest lil dessert. They give you everything that you didn't even know you wanted.

Archer knocks it out of the park with this one. Possibly her best of the Vancouver series (I LOVE Rory and Hazel sm).

I have enjoyed every book so far in the Vancouver Storm series, and this was no exception! In fact, it might now be tied with The Fake Out as my favorite, since what could be better than the fake dating from that book? Fake marriage!

Alexei Volkov is a 36 year old hockey player who knows his retirement is on the horizon, but is determined to prolong his time in the league by any means necessary. Georgia Greene is a doctor for his team who recommended him for retirement, and let's just say he didn't take it well. That sets up two years of animosity we get to see sprinkled throughout the other books, and had me so excited to finally get to their story. Knowing they disliked each other for such a long time made this enemies to lovers story more realistic than many others I've read. I really enjoyed watching them both slowly open up and get past their preconceived notions. I also found it amusing to be in each of the POVs as they did some real mental gymnastics to convince themselves they still hated each other. Add in all the banter, some incredibly swoony "my wife" moments, and flowers as a love language, and this book had all of the components I absolutely love. I cannot wait to add the physical copy to my collection!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Dell Romance for the ARC!

It took 4 books but Stephanie finally got me. I had a great time with this one, and it hit the exact spot it marketed itself to. The aggravatingly flimsy enemies-to-lovers was felt (as it usually is) from the beginning, but I thought she balanced it nicely with the purposeful misrepresentations the characters were giving to each other. This wasn't a miscommunication trope so much as people actively not being able to trust each other with the truth, and that's what made it interesting and worthwhile. Solid read, with a lovely drive in the FMC for her career and passions. I devoured it for a reason!

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced readers copy, I continue to owe you my life!

I'm a SUCKER for fake marriage and this one did NOT disappoint! I did feel at times that the "enemies" part was a little over the top, and maybe as a workplace or doctor/patient romance would have been better. Overall, the banter was pretty good and when they finally admit their feelings its "chefs kiss". Perfect for fans of the hockey romance genre.

This was a LOT better than I expected it to be. My expectations weren’t super low, but I just wasn’t sure this was going to work for me. And it being the fourth in a series that I hadn’t read didn’t bode well for me.

BUT I really enjoyed this book! It gave me strong “The Wall of Winnipeg and Me” vibes, which is a huge compliment from me.

Was some the story cheesy? Sure. But apart from that, there was some really great stuff. Both Volkov and Georgia had preconceived notions about the other, but were fairly open minded once they got to know each other. I felt the progression of their relationship wasn’t rushed and felt natural (as natural as a marriage of convenience can be).

I absolutely loved that there was no third act breakup. If there had been, it would have been forced. Instead, we see each love interest grow and let the other person make their own choices without emotional manipulation.

The trauma that both Georgia and Volkov brought into the relationship was valid and fit with the storyline. It really shaped their motivations, but left room for understanding and change.

I definitely want to go back and read the other books in this series, and I’ll definitely read what I assume will be next book. The author set it up reallllllly well.