You know how from time to time again we have been given books that are marketed as hate to love or maybe despise to love but then you see the feeling of hate fizzling out quick??

Yeah this book is not that. They don't like each other, they both have their reasons. They both rile each other a lot. There is this constant war of words and comebacks.

This book was a breath of fresh air for me. I enjoyed the dynamic of Alexei and Georgia. The witty comebacks had me cackling throughout the book. He needs citizenship and she needs her inheritance, easy way out is to get married but they don't like each other. They just have to learn how to tolerate each other and stay till the point both of them get what they want.

I loved how I slowly saw their feelings developing, their character evolving, their walls breaking down and their emotions getting stronger.

This book is everything good I love in a romance book and I loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley & Random House- Ballantine for the E-ARC! Again, loved so much! So good & fun characters. Another masterpiece by one of my favs!

Gloves Off, the fourth book in Archer’s Vancouver Storm series, is a hockey romance featuring the enemies to lovers, grumpy with sunshine, and fake marriage tropes. It would be perfect for fans of books like Wild Side by Elise Silver, The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey, The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson, Fall with Me by Becka Mack, and/ or Body Check by Elle Kennedy. Gloves Off deals with themes and topics like family, retirement, injury, women’s roles, citizenship, wealth, medical rehabilitation research and funding, teammates and found families, marriage, and appearance versus reality. This book could technically be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first 3 books in the series (which are also amazing reads!) before picking up a copy of Gloves Off in order to enhance your reading experience and avoid spoilers. As a bonus, the main characters from the first 3 books in the Vancouver Storm series make frequent appearances in Gloves Off!

I really appreciated that Archer dove right into Alexei and Georgia’s story without a lot of preamble and set-up as it made it easier to get absorbed into the story. I also liked how the chapters were fast paced as it made me not want to put the book down. My favourite part of Gloves Off was the hidden meanings behind the flowers that Alexei constantly gifts Georgia; Alexei’s mom is a florist, so he knows the significance of all of the types of flowers (and thanks to a helpful book, Georgia learns their significance too). It was super swoon-worthy to see how the meanings behind the types of flowers that Alexei gifted Georgia changed from hostile to loving over time. Furthermore, Alexei had a very rough and tough exterior but ended up being a secret softy (e.g., caring for Georgia’s lionhead bunnies and wearing friendship bracelets) with almost a “touch her and you die” attitude, which I loved. Gloves Off was also probably the spiciest book in the series so far!

Like the first 3 books in the Vancouver Storm series, Gloves Off doesn’t have a third act break-up (yay!). I think that this is the first series I’ve read where none of the couples experience a third act break-up; so, if you’re like me and you dread the third act break-up, I highly recommend picking up this series! Additionally, I’ve read a lot of hockey and sports romances, so I really appreciated that the plot of Gloves Off (and the rest of the Vancouver Storm series) was unique and memorable.

There wasn’t much that I didn’t like about this book, but I do have a couple of nitpicky things. Firstly, there was a fair number of miscommunications in this book (mostly the misconceptions that Georgia and Alexei have formed about each other prior to the start of Gloves Off that they have trouble letting go of), which can be frustrating. It also seemed a little far fetched to me that more people didn’t realize that Alexei and Georgia’s marriage was fake since they seemed to constantly “whisper” insults to each other in the middle of conversations in public places.

This is my first Stephanie Archer book and it most certainly won't be the last. Gloves Off is the fourth book in the Vancouver Storm series. It read just fine as a standalone. This is your classic marriage of convenience between two complete opposites. Georgia and Alexei got started off on the wrong foot during their first meeting. It is suggested for them to get married for his immigration issues and her inheritance. They struggle to keep their relationship and feelings from becoming real.

I just adored this book. The absolute snarky passive aggressiveness between the two of them had me cackling. I'll never look at flowers the same. The side characters all added to the story and I can't wait to go back and read the prior books in the series. Archer does a good job of having the characters communicate even during the complicated times of their relationship. You can see the evolution of their relationship and will be rooting for them the whole way.

Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, marriage of convenience, "my wife," sports, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, flowers and their meanings

Thank you to Stephanie Archer, NetGalley, Random House (Ballantine) for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
#netgalley #GlovesOff #StephanieArcher #RandomHouseBallantine

This book is my favorite book so far that has come out this year. I have read all the books in the series and have loved them all saying that Glove Off was definitely my favorite of the series. I initially did not think I would like this book. The first 30% of this book included the characters arguing and being really mean and hateful toward each other. Well, I am OK with an enemies to lovers trope this went a little far for me, my opinion quickly changed as the characters began to open up to one another and really see the true selves. Georgia is really afraid of opening up and has felt that Volkov has disrespected herself and her profession. Volkov also has closed himself off and has preconceived thoughts about Georgia. I enjoyed seeing these two characters get closer and start to understand each other. My favorite part was probably all of the little small things. Volkov did to show his love for Georgia such a good book and such a good series.

Fan of sports romance? Stephanie Archer should be on your list! Gloves Off is the fourth book in her Vancouver Storm series. The Fake Out, the second book in this series, is still one of my all-time favorites of the genre. This is the story of Alexei, the enforcer of the Vancouver Storm, and Georgia, one of the team's doctors.

Alexei's days left with the team are numbered: he's aging out and his body is starting to feel it. That means his Canadian citizenship, and his parents', is at risk. The funding for Georgia's charity program to rehabilitate young sports players and keep them doing what they love is drying up. She's got a heavy inheritance coming her way, but to access it, she has to get married. Despite their mutual loathing, Alexei & Georgia agree to help one another the only way possible...get hitched!

There is no question that Stephanie Archer can tell a great story. I loved so much of Alexei & Georgia's romance, but I really struggle with the marriage of convenience trope, and that's where my biggest hangup was in this book.

We start off with a couple of quick opening chapters that is a play by play of exactly why each character needs to get married and why their past relationships have sucked, and nothing else. It didn't feel very authentic - I could see the scaffolding of story structure too opaquely and I found myself rolling my eyes a little bit. I guess there's nothing wrong with it, and many people would probably tell you that's better than the alternative, but I found myself craving a little bit more.

Despite the clumsy start, once the plot takes off, Gloves Off was easier to enjoy. Alexei & Georgia did not get off on the wrong foot, and they'd insulted each other just enough to not make either of them want to change that. But when the layers start peeling back, it's impossible for them not to fall together.

I really love the little oddball things that make you fall deeper in love with the characters. In this case, the friendship bracelets, the bunnies, the obsession with a teenaged tv show...these are the things that I meant when I said I wanted more at the start instead of feeling a little too much wham-bam-thank-you-ma'amed. It is in there, you just have to work for it a little bit!

There's a little bit of suspension of disbelief necessary here, but if you can get past all that, the love story underneath is really sweet and swoony. Alexei is a big tough grump, and seeing the softer side of a man like him always melts you right into a puddle, amiright?

If you just finished up Liz Tomforde's Windy City series and are looking for something new to quench your thirst for hot athletes falling in love, give Vancouver Storm a try!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a solid hockey romance, and a great continuation from the Vancouver Storm series! I really enjoyed seeing the growth and development of Alexie and Georgia's relationship--the build was slow, but worthwhile. This was a fun, fast read and I'm excited to handsell even more books in this series now!

This book knocked me off my feet! I love a good marriage of a convenience/enemies to lovers trope but this one eclipsed my expectations and it is my favorite from Stephanie Archer so far! Georgia and Alexi Volkov are two characters who I adored and really was rooting for the entire book! Usually with enemies to lovers, one is a little more likable than the other but in this book I loved them both!

Georgia and Alexi must enter a marriage of convenience so he can get citizenship and she can get her inheritance, but they hate each other—- I mean HATE! This is not the typical hate the other person because of some small stupid grudge. They despise each other. The first half they were so mean and snarky to each other and I loved every jab they gave. It was like playing mind games and really set the tone for the book. You also quickly learn why they hate each other and I gotta admit– valid reasons for each of them! But as every good love story goes and flows, you learn that while the reasons are valid and did start as a little misunderstanding but it was more seeded in deep rooted issues with each character and should have been resolved with a good conversation. But honestly why do that when you can enjoy the hate scenes so much, especially that hate b*ng! 🌶️ Whew!

As much as I loved the hate between these two, I admit I really liked when the switches were made and they started to actually like each other. As they both softened up I found myself liking them even more! She put him in his place when he was an assertive jerk and he kept her on her toes. It was very satisfying!

The dual narration was key in this book! I really like to hear what the characters were feeling and how they were processing things as the book moved along.

Overall a solid hockey romance about bad first impressions but once they realized they were both wrong and made some preconceived notions about the other the hate melted away and in place there was only attraction and lust and eventually love.

Huge thanks to Random House- Ballantine, NetGalley and Stephanie Archer for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

I've really enjoyed the entire Vancouver Storm series, and this fourth installment was no different. The second I heard about Georgia & Alexei's marriage at the end of The Wingman, I knew I wanted to read this book, and it delivered. I loved Georgia and her entire story from the disinherited parents, to the soccer team, and her sleepwalking. Alexei was a bit mean at times, but as a secret fan of the bully trope, this didn't bother me too much. I didn't entirely buy the specificity of the flower meanings, but appreciated this little detail all the same and overlooked it. Hoping for more Vancouver Storm novels in the future - hopefully featuring two - one featuring Coach Ward & Jordan and one with Luca & an interest to be named later!

4.5/5 stars

thank you Stephanie Archer for copies of the ebook and audiobook!

I am OBSESSED with this series! One of my favorite hockey romances by far. The fourth installment was absolute perfection with the grumpy enforcer Alexei and team doctor Georgia. They despise each other, constantly making jabs and are at each others throats. But when they both find themselves with a need to get married, a reluctant partnership is formed. Alexei needs Canadian citizenship for himself and his parents, especially as his days playing hockey are likely coming to an end. Georgia needs the money from her inheritance to save her sports rehab program at the hospital, but that will only be released if she gets married. What starts as a sham of a marriage soon turns into something more as they are forced to spend time with one another and see past all their preconceived notions of one another.

I ate this book up! I love a marriage of convenience with two people who really hate each other but have to put on a show around others. The way they slowly start to enjoy each other’s company is just DELICIOUS. These two have such fantastic chemistry and banter! I love how integrated the past couples are in the book as well and how we get to revisit all their romance as well!

Georgia and Alexei are such amazing FMC and MMCs. I love watching Alexei go from thinking Georgia is a spoiled rich brat, to realizing how hard working she is and how wrong he was about her. This man gets it BAD for her and I love seeing a man on his knees. He is so jealous and possessive but in the best way and he is just so so yummy. And Georgia is SUCH a baddie! She is so smart and determined and cares so much for her friends and family. She has a cause that she works hard for and I loved seeing her softness with the girls soccer team. Also, Stephen and Damon were highlights of the book.

I loved watching their romance grow throughout the book and they were HOT HOT HOT together! I love a book where the characters are kind of mean to each other but its what makes them attracted to the other. The angry flirting is so delicious!

🎧: The audio of this one was so amazing! JF Harding and Stella Hunter absolutely killed it! It is duet, and I just love when we get to see chemistry between the narrators that adds to the characterization. If you have the chance to listen to this one I highly recommend it! It is for sure one of my favorite romance audios with how well these two embraced the characters and brought them to life!

I hadn't read the other books in this series, which I don't think helped my experience, but I also don't think it hurt it. I feel like someone who was familiar with the universe probably would've had a better time, but definitely not necessary to pick up this one.

I like sports romances, and as a newer hockey fan, I was really excited to pick this one up. But from the very beginning of this book, I could tell that I wasn't going to like it. The set up was just absolutely insane and they were doing far too much all at once - having both enemies to lovers and fake dating at once just felt like a lot and entirely unbelieveable. I know that romance books require a bit of suspension of disbelief, but I felt like this one just went way too far and expected way too much of that.

And I really didn't like the characters and their dynamic. I feel like they went from lust to love way too fast with almost no development; they just all of a sudden were in love. And I found the possessiveness from Volkov to be so infuriating. And the sleepwalking was just absolutely insane, like what are we doing here?? At times, this whole scenario felt like something a middle schooler would've come up with while writing their Wattpad fanfiction.

They absolutely hated each other, and I ate it up! I was hooked on this.

It was such a fun read from start to finish. I loved how they both got so mad that they started having real feelings for one another—what a joy to read.

He was yearning and so pathetic, and I LOVED IT!!! I loved how she knew who she was and would not compromise her morals; we love a strong woman.

I’m patiently waiting for a man to have a fetish for buying me things and telling me his feelings through flowers.

What a delight this book was to read!

Now I love myself a great hockey romance. It was why I believed that this read would get me out of my slump. However, after almost three months of trying to finish this book I am calling it quits and DNFing. The more that I read the more that I felt that I couldn’t connect to the characters and their romance development felt disconnected. For some reason I absolutely disliked Alexie :/ perhaps if I continued I would have changed my mind about the MMC but I have to move onto my next read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

5 stars – Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer is the fourth book in the Vancouver Storm series. While it can be read as a stand-alone story, it flows better, and the stories of the supporting characters make more sense if read in order. I absolutely LOVED this book! I was up way way too late reading it. We have Alexei Volkov, a senior member of the Vancouver Storm hockey team who needs Canadian citizenship and one of the team doctors, Dr. Georgia Greene, who needs to be married to receive her inheritance. These two have some great banter, and tons of chemistry and some spicy bedroom time. While their relationship begins out of convenience, they both grow feelings and mature a bit as they discover misperceptions of each other. We see the relationship develop and progress beyond the convenience factor and hope they can get their HEA. Do yourself a favor and read what is easily one of the best hockey romance books of the year!

Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, fake relationship, marriage of convenience, enemies/intense dislike to lovers,

A big “Thank You” to NetGalley, Stephanie Archer and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine | Dell for allowing me to read an advance copy. This independent, honest review is happily shared.

#GlovesOff #NetGalley

A true rivals/enemies to lovers trope with marriage of convenience. Prepare for lots of banter and a slow burn! Alexei came off as very grumpy and rude, but turned out to have a heart of gold and a sweet spot for Georgia (resulting in some possessiveness/jealousy, yearning, begging/groveling (LOVE)). Georgia is a bada** and all-around great person. It's easy to root for her. They are each great individuals, but together, they are a power couple and really look to each other for support and help each other be their best selves. No 3rd act breakup, their relationship only goes up from the start of the book.

Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was HOT HOT HOT!! The Vancouver Storm series just keeps getting better and better! I loved this enemies to lovers, dual POV, marriage of convenience between Russian defencemen Alexei Volkov and team Dr Georgia Greene. The two reluctantly enter a marriage of convenience so Alexei can help keep his parents and himself in Canada should he be forced to retire and Georgia needs to be married in order to inherit 10 miliion dollars that she needs to help save an injured athlete recovery program.

The insults, the hate sex, the flowers with hidden meanings, the BUNNIES, the great cast of secondary characters, the sleep walking and the only one bed/forced proximity, 'you're MY wife' of it all made my day in the BEST way. I DEVOURED this book and I can't wait for the next one now featuring single dad team coach, Ward and I suspect Georgia's best friend, bartender Jordan who is also the team owner's daughter.

Highly recommended for fans of Tessa Bailey's Big Shots series or authors like Elle Kennedy and Elsie Silver. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. It was such a pleasure watching Georgia and Alexei realize there's a very fine line between love and hate!!

This was such a breath of fresh air. It was nuce to see a strong, level headed fmc who matched the mmc in his wits and dislike. I loved how she stood her ground and took no shit from him no matter what.

Alexei Volkiv is definitely swoonworthy in his own way. BRB, I'm gonna go get a man who gives me flowers while thinking of what each of them represents:')

The banter in the first half of this book was so entertaining. I kept reading just to see what they would say or do next to each other. Fake relationships especially with hate to lovers really brings out the good stuff.

2025 Book #72
Rating: 4.5/5
Tropes: Hockey Player x Team Doctor, Hate to Lovers, Fake Marriage
Spice: 2 (Ch 37 57 58 68 69 73 80 84)
Romance: Yes
Plot: Yes
Pages: 464

Quick Summary: A ready or not hockey romance

My Review: Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer is book #4 in the Vancouver Storm series. It is scheduled for release on 6/17/25.

About the Book: "The only way to get my inheritance? Marry Alexei Volkov—the grumpiest enforcer in the NHL, a brutally handsome jerk, and the last man I’d ever fall for. "

In My Own Words: A seasoned hockey player who is two steps away from retirement clashes with a fiercely independent team physician who has a heart of gold and a shoe fetish to match.

My Favorite Ahhs (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

- All of the flowers (Color me happy!)
- The Russian terms of endearment (lol)
- Stefan and Damon (Cuteness overload!!!)
- Shoes, shoes, shoes (Thank you very much!)
- The significance of the friendship bracelets (Two-fold takeaway)
- The car situation (Aww shucks!)
- The extended family (Oh, my heart.)
- The costumes (tehehehehe...)
- The next phase (Perfect endings and beginnings)

My Final Say: Gloves Off was such a highly entertaining read. I loved it so much. The heated tension between Alexei and Georgia was scalding. Even when they didn't like each other, they were like magnets. The whole going through the fire approach via a fake relationship was genius. In the end, it made their romance burn brighter.

Also, I must say that I cannot wait to get my hands on the other books associated with this series. Both the past installments and the upcoming novels are automatic TBRs, as far as I am concerned. Next! Let's go!!!

Other: Readers who enjoy the following tropes will love this romance.

Tropes - >

Enemies to lovers
Hockey romance
Close proximity
Fake marriage
Hot & bothered
Dual POV
Grump vs sunshine
Opposites attract
They fall first/both fall together scenarios
Post injury confessions
Hidden meanings (of flowers)

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ❤️🌶️
Series: Yes
Note: The audiobook version of this romance cannot get here fast enough. I predict that it will be embraced heartily by all VS series followers. This #stormed reader is excited and then some.

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was an absolute pleasure to review. I am grateful for the opportunity. I look forward to reading more from this writer.

This novel was such a funny and lighthearted read! It is a NHL sports contemporary romance book that was really, really good! This book comes with lovable characters, a great storyline and witty banter between the two main characters. It is an enemies to lovers romance, which is one of my favorite tropes in a book! Even though these two main characters had completely different ways of thinking, they found a way to make it work between them. The character that I liked the most was Alexei Volkov. He came off as a very arrogant, grumpy and rude person. However, as the story develops more, he ends up being the complete opposite! He is actually very sweet snd charming, once you get to know the real him. This book explores the themes of trust, being in love, a marriage of convenience, second chances and overcoming past trauma! There is a miscommunication trope in this one, which is my least favorite trope. However, this author put everything together so well, that the miscommunication trope was not an issue at all for me in this one. This comes with dual points of views, which I loved! Furthermore, you can read this book as a series or as a standalone. It also has some very spicy scenes! If you love sports and romance, you will not want to miss reading this book!

“Gloves Off” is the fourth book in the Vancouver Storm Series! It is about a female doctor named Georgia and a NHL enforcer named Alexei. They get forced into a marriage of convenience with one another, that ultimately leads them into having real feelings for one another. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars!

Anyone that is a fan of hockey romances would enjoy reading this one! Content warnings include explicit sexual content and misogyny.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Stephanie Archer and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for this electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on June 17, 2025!