I will never get over this series!! I just finished reading book four, Gloves Off (out June 17th) and OH MY GOSH 🤭🥰 I am still kicking my feet. I read 75% of this book in one sitting and couldn't put it down. It immediately grabbed me and pulled me back into this world ❤️

Gloves Off is an enemies-to-lovers and marriage of convenience romance. I adored watching Alexei and Georgia slowly become friends, lovers, and true partners. Their story had my entire heart. The forced proximity had me kicking my feet like crazyyyy 🤭

Some of my other favorite things about it: he sends her lots of flowers (with hidden meanings!!) , Georgia has the best fashion sense ever, and seeing characters from the previous three books 🥰

I seriously and endlessly cannot recommend this book and series enough. I adore it SOOOOOOOOO much!!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc I was over the moon when I received this!

Honestly I’m so torn with this book…
To start with I wasn’t getting the same feels as the previous books in this series. The middle I was still on the fence, with a few smiley moments.
I didn’t particularly feel any kind of way about them as a couple until the last 20% to be completely honest.
I think Alexei might of given me the ick I cannot pinpoint it. But that’s a me problem.
It was nice to see their individual journeys, growth & conclusion.
All in all it’s definitely worth a read if you’re a fan of this series, it was enjoyable but not my fave but it could be yours!

Gloves Off features all the finest tropes but does not become a cliche! Georgia and Alexei begin as complete contrasts, but their enforced closeness reveals some exciting slow burn moments which im sure many will adore! If you enjoy fake dating that turns into genuine romance, and tough characters with hidden gentle sides, this book is a true must-read! this is not my first book by this author and i love this series! Their unhealthy relationship transforms into a wholesome, loving, and satisfying partnership. Once again, Stephanie has impressed me. I truly adore this series, and every book surpasses the one before it.

Gloves Off delivered everything a fake marriage hockey romance should—fiery banter, forced proximity, and a brooding, secretly soft hero who fell hard despite himself. Georgia and Alexei’s relationship was pure chaos in the best way, with their constant bickering giving way to undeniable chemistry. Alexei was the perfect grumpy enforcer, growling his way through every interaction while simultaneously spoiling Georgia in ways that made it impossible not to swoon. And Georgia? A total firecracker who gave as good as she got.
The slow burn between them was delicious, and Alexei’s protective, secretly affectionate side added so much depth to his character. The way he showed love—through small gestures, possessive stares, and begrudging acts of kindness—made their romance all the more satisfying.
While the pacing dragged a little in the middle, and some conflicts wrapped up too quickly, the tension and payoff were well worth the wait. If you love fake marriage tropes, grumpy-sunshine dynamics, and a hockey romance with plenty of heart, this one’s a winner!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was looking forward to this book for a while and am grateful to have received an ARC. The author delivered on this one. I have enjoyed the series so far, though the third book was a bit dull and boring for me. Love Hayden, not so much Darcy. I loved Alexei and Georgia though. I appreciated the friends to enemy build-up through the series. This book delivered a good and sweet story. Some spice. Would re-read ASAP.

I love a good enemies to lovers, sports romance, and this book did not disappoint. Aleksei and Georgia may have started out in a fake marriage, but there was nothing fake about their feelings for one another. This definitely started out with a slow burn, but it kept me wanting more, and I found myself wanting to read it late into the night. The way they both misjudged each other kept things whitty and hot. I really enjoyed the bits and pieces of the hockey games, how Georgia herself was coaching the girls soccer team, and how both her and Aleksei realized that falling in love doesn't mean giving up what you want out of life. This was a great read, and I look forward to the next installment.

This story was such a lovely continuation of an already beloved series. I felt like I was able to feel every emotion with these characters, from the hesitation to trust one another to the willingness to be vulnerable again. The banter was so fun and exciting to read, and the progression of their relationship did not feel rushed or forced at all but was such an authentic depiction of opening yourself up to trust someone again. The small/subtle expressions felt just as impactful as the big declarations. I think readers are going to love this romance and I am very excited to recommend it!

If you love hockey romances start here. Technically this is book four in the series written by Archer, but this can definitely be read as a standalone. I love enemies to lovers, so this was right up my alley. If your looking for that, plus a sports romance with excellent banter give gloves off a try. There is no third act breakup so we can all rejoice to that. Highly recommend.

Fake marriage, grumpy hockey player, and tension so thick you could skate on it? Gloves Off has all the best tropes! Georgia and Alexei start off as total opposites, but their forced proximity brings out some sizzling slow burn moments. If you love fake dating turned real romance, and tough guys with secret soft spots, this book is an absolute must read! I adore this series!

After many years of TikTok selling me, when I saw this hockey romance on netgalley I decided to take the plunge and I’m glad I did! This was cute! Enemies to lovers is hard to pull off, but I think the characters had reason enough to misunderstand each other that no one came out the obvious villain, and their conflicts later in the story felt reasonable.

I liked it enough that I’ll definitely be reading back in the series - it’s coming up on summer and the series has strong pool potential.

Enemies to love
Marriage of convenience
One bed
Slow burn
No third act breakup

Firstly, thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC!
I feel like I have been waiting agess for this book, but man, was the wait worth it.

Finally, Alexei’s story!
Alexei’s citizenship is a mess. Scared he’ll have to go back to Russia, he decides to get married.
Enter Georgia. The team dr. Two years ago, Georgia said she wasn’t going to treat him and recommended he retire due to his injury. It was at that point that their feud began. Both have misconceptions of each other based on their past with their exes and can’t be in the same room without jabbing each other. The tension jumps off the page.
Georgia needed to marry in order to receive her inheritance to keep funding her athlete recovery program research and Alexei’s with his citizenship, it’s a perfect match in hell(fire)

I really loved the character development in this book, especially Alexei. He shut himself off from everyone due to a past event and being scared about his impending retirement. Unwilling to let people in, Georgia slowly broke down his walls. Her telling him he had steamrolled her was really a turning point for him, and he started to reevaluate his actions.

These two needed to find each other in order to move on from their past trauma. Their toxic relationship evolves into a healthy, loving and fulfilling partnership. Once again, Stephanie didn’t let me down. I absolutely love this series and each book is better than the last.

The flowers and the meaning behind, ughhh so good!

Can’t wait for the next book, fingers crossed it’s Jordan and Ward!

omg I loved Alexie and Georgia’s story so much!! From the beginning, story pulled me in. The way that they bantered was actually was drew me to them. And then later on when it became their thing, I was kicking my feet with giddiness.

This book had all the swoon and a lot of amazing tension the whole time.

I truly enjoyed their character development and watching them embrace each other. They were just what the other person needed, and it was beautiful to see their love growing as the book went on.

Alexie is now one of my top book boyfriends 🥹

enemies to lovers EPIC goodness!! Gerogia and Alexei quite literally set the bar for hate to love chemistry for me now. the wayyy they are so imperfectly perfect for each other! I love a man who’s down bad and it’s even sweeter when he loathes himself for it. ha! for a spicy as their hate was, the tenderness they found with their fall was heady and addictive! gah I LOVE THEM. one of my top reads of 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Random Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 4th book of Archer’s hockey series and I was so excited as it’s enemies to lovers/marriage of convenience. I’m a sucker for those tropes and was not disappointed- Alexei and Georgia had good banter and chemistry throughout the entire book. The plot is a bit predictable but it’s written well and I did appreciate no third act breakup. I think this and Wingman my be my favorites of hers.

Wow! I adored Gloves Off! It sets a fast pace from the first pace and the chemistry between Georgia and Alexi was perfect. Can't wait for Archer's next book!

Hockey romance with a marriage of convenience? Say less, I'm sold. The chemistry between the MC is off the charts hot. The slow burn tension is on point and the banter is amazing, I loled multiple times. Also, the spice is absolutely delicious. I think this is probably my favorite book in the series, that characters just did it for me.

Fake marriage? Grumpy hockey heartthrob? A heroine with zero chill and maximum sass? Sign. Me. Up.

Gloves Off is the kind of romance that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go—in the best way. Georgia and Alexei have insane chemistry, top-tier banter, and that delicious slow-burn tension that makes you kick your feet and giggle like a fool. He’s broody with a soft side, she’s chaotic and clever, and together? Pure magic.

This book is flirty, funny, and full of heart. If you love fake dating turned real feelings, plus a hot Russian hockey player who secretly worships the ground she walks on? You’re gonna devour this.

I love a good marriage of convenience romance and Archer definitely scored with Gloves Off.

I adored Georgia and Alexi from the start. The hate to love & marriage of convenience combination was great. They had so much chemistry too! Their banter and tension was top notch. I reread scenes just because I was gushing over these two so much. Plus the spice was so good!

If you want a hockey romance that's going to have you kicking and giggling at 2:00 AM, Gloves Off is your book. Highly recommend!

This is by far my favorite Stephanie Archer novel! It hit everything I love in a romance novel! Tastefully executed miscommunication/misunderstanding trope, no third act break up, fully developed characters.

Alexei is such a fun MMC. I love the depth that Archer gave to him, the pressure of being a child of immigrants and the softness that he has despite his initially cold exterior... and Georgia is an amazing FMC! I adore how Archer writes her FMCs as women who have interests and passions that they are unashamedly able to pursue. Alexei and Georgia's romance had me hooked to my kindle for an entire day! I ended up finishing the book all in one sitting... which is saying something because this book was quite long for a romance novel!

I absolutely cannot wait to read the next couple~! The little tease in the epilogue has me so excited and I know I'm going to have to wait for another year to be able to read them...

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Stephanie Archer for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! Marriage of convenience? Immediately yes! Alexei and Georgia absolutely despise each other but they both need to get married; Alexai needs Canadian citizenship and Georgia needs her inheritance in order to save her rehabilitation program. I also love a good slow burn and this is definitely that due to the characters not trusting each other until around 70%ish into the book. Definitely my new favorite Stephanie Archer book!


Tropes:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Enemies to Lovers
- Slow Burn