Thanks to Dell for the eARC of this book; all opinions are my own.

I had a bunch of chores to do this past weekend, hobbies I wanted to work on, even a pool to float in. I barely did any of those because I started Gloves Off and then I couldn't stop reading it and barely put it down because I was obsessed and loved it.

The tension between Alexei and Georgia has been simmering since book one in the series and boy oh boy is the pay off worth it. Despite "hating" each other, they decide to get married so Georgia can get her inheritance to save an athlete recovery program at the hospital, and so Alexei can get Canadian citizenship. Of course, this means they also have the live together, attend events together, and perform many public displays of affection to convince others they are in a loving and happy marriage.
The more time they spend together, the better they get to know each other and realize that the other isn't who they thought they were. And obviously forced proximity does its thing and the two go from wanting nothing to do with each other to wanting everything to do with each other.

Alexei and Georgia together are a delight, especially once they open up to each other and are vulnerable. And Alexei using flowers to send messages to Georgia - gahhhhhh. And then he starts helping Georgia coach a soccer team. swoon. And getting shoes designed especially for her. And apologizing when he messes up. Alexei may be my new book boyfriend.

This book bangs. it's fantastic. Stephanie Archer is a great writer and I'm so excited for book five in the series and everything else she writes.

Gloves Off is the fourth book in Stephanie Archer's Vancouver Storm hockey romance series, but can be read as a standalone. This marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, NHL team doctor and aging player who hate each other because they really like each other story isn't particularly ground breaking, but it is a fast, enjoyable steamy read.

Gloves Off by Canadian author Stephanie Archer is a knockout romance perfect for fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope and sports-themed love stories. With witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and heartfelt moments, Archer delivers a fast-paced, emotionally satisfying read. A must for anyone who loves hockey romances!

“It’s Georgia, I’ve realized. Maybe it’s been Georgia for a long time. The intense emotions I’ve always felt toward her—maybe they were never hate. Maybe they were the opposite.”

Omg I love Alexei and Georgia so much! This might be the best enemies to lovers I’ve ever readdddddd! What started out as hatred, and annoyance leads to a marriage of convenience, ending in nothing but soul encompassing love!

It’s so clear that these two were made for each other, but it made it so fun to read and watch them both put their walls down with each other, and slowly become friends, and ultimately lovers. The way they were the perfect balance to each other, was swoonworthy.

Alexei is a tough defensemen, who shares no emotions, yet he was at his knees and a big teddy bear for Georgia. The way he surprised her with different flowers from his Moms flower shop (swoon), and how Georgia would read through the flower classification book to learn what each flower meant 🥹🥹 ARE YOU KIDDING ME! And Georgia was such a boss and independent lady, who fell like she never needed anyone, until she realizes she liked the way she needed Alexei.

I could yap on for hours about this book. Alexei and Georgia are officially at the top of my list for owning the enemies to Lovers trope. I loved all the glimpses we got of the other couples in this book because the found family is so heartwarming. And the way book five was set up in the epilogue, has me FERALLLLLLLL for Ward and Jordan’s story!

Some of my favorite quotes:
“I’m not dumb enough to think blurring the lines of our agreement is a good idea. If I’m kerosene, my wife is the match.”

“Before I fall asleep, I’m left with one concerning realization. My crush on my husband is back with a vengeance.”

“Such a good wife for me,” he says in a low voice, and threads of warmth trickle through me at his praise.”

“You look good with my name on your back, Hellfire.”

“Wishing I could call her my wife for real. The last thought isn’t even a concern anymore. That’s how far gone I am. I don’t care if she’s not there yet. I’ll be patient. I’ll wait until my wife is ready.”

“The first day was sunflowers.” They all wait. “Adoration. Daisies. I love you truly,” I add. “White lilies. My love is pure.” Darcy’s jaw drops. Pippa and Hazel exchange a glance, and my pulse trips. “Red chrysanthemum. I love you.” Jordan’s eyebrows go up. “And today, red tulips. Declaration of love.”

“You are my world,” he says, “and when we’re a hundred years old, I’ll still be flirting with you to get your attention.”

“You know what I think whenever I see you wearing my ring, Georgia?” His breath tickles my pussy, and I shiver. I’m hot and cold all over, right on the edge. “I think, mine. I think, that’s my wife.”

“I’ll beg for you, Hellfire, I don’t care anymore. You own me.”

“Say yes, then. Marry me for real. Be my wife forever. I love you. I love you so fucking much. I don’t want this to end. There’s no way I’m letting you go. Being married to you is everything I never realized I wanted.”

Tropes:
🏒Hockey player x the team Doctor
💙Marriage of convenience
🏒Forced proximity
💙He falls first and harder
🏒Enemies to lovers
💙He brings her flowers every week
🏒Found family

Spicy chapters: 37, 57, 58, 67, 68, 73, 80

ARC/ALC Review

Thank you Stephanie, NetGalley, and Dell for the ARC and ALC!

VANCOUVER STORM SERIES FOREVER!


This is book 4 in the Vancouver Storm series, but it can be read as a standalone. But trust me! You want to add the entire series to your TBR!! The series is absolutely filled with banger after banger!

If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it would be BANTER!!!!! There is nothing subtle about the tension and chemistry Georgia and Alexei have, and although it takes them while to work it out themselves, what these two have is melt off the page, absolutely explosive!

I loved the enemies to lovers trope in this book. They live to push each others buttons and love to see what type of reaction they can get out of each other. Reading their back and forth throughout the ENTIRE book was giving me life!!!

Georgia is GOALS. She is strong, she's intelligent, she has the best fashion, she's sassy, she knows who she is and what she deserves. I want to be Georgia when I grow up.

Alexei quickly also became one of my favorites. He is a grump but he really does have a heart of gold. He loves with his whole heart. He is an acts of service man.

I loved this book. I loved the journey these two went on. I cannot wait to see Coach and Jordan's book!!!!

I did also listen to an ALC of this book. This was narrated by JF Harding and Stella Hunter. This was my first audiobook by these narrators. But I really enjoyed them!! This is duet narration (both speaking each chapter) I loved the audio. It was the perfect listen!

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title, but unfortunately it didn’t quite capture my interest. While the premise was promising, I found it difficult to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure it will find its audience with readers who connect more strongly with the writing style or pacing.

This was so much fun!! I loved this book, i thought it was just the perfect balance between romantic, series and lighthearted!!

This is SO good!! Easily the best book I've read this year. The tension in this is *chefs kiss*. Absolute perfection. I was hanging on every last word, and didn't want it to end. Stephanie Archer - I want to inject these books into my veins. Thank you for writing them!

This is the second book I’ve read this year with a hero named Alexei whom I adore!! This was SO GOOD. I really needed another five star read and Gloves Off delivered!

one thing about me is i very much struggle with interconnected standalones. i typically just pick one book from the series and ignore the rest because i have a hard time adjusting side characters to main characters in head. there's a very small handful of series that break this rule - and the vancouver storm series is one of them! I love all these books, and gloves off was no different :)

first of all, i love any kind of marriage of convenience/fake dating trope. that's gonna get me every time. and stephanie archer knows how to write romance, and she knows how to write smut. her characters and writing are so readable, you can see it in all of her series! i love a grump who gets soft, and i love a strong FMC. these two were cuties. i know some people think alexei was maybe a little too mean in the beginning, but i'm ok with my grump being super grumpy as long as they change up drastically in the end, i can forgive a lot of things lol. also love a jealousy scene, eat it up every time.

the fake out is still my favorite in this series, but gloves off was still better than most of the hockey romances out there right now! trust and believe i've read them all. highly recommend this book - thanks stephanie archer & net galley team!

“I can’t close my eyes around you, Georgia. Because I don’t want to miss a second of this.”
I DEVOURED this book in one sitting, no sleep was had. For some crazy reason this is the first Vancouver Storm book I’ve read and I will be changing that as soon as possible.

Alexei Volkov is getting up there in hockey age. He sees retirement in his future and he hates it, but before he can retire he needs to ensure he has his citizenship in order. Georgia Greene works hard for everything she has and now that is possibly going away. However if she is able to secure her trust fund it can solve all her work problems. Solution for both of them? Marriage.
“I don’t share. This year, you’re my wife. Mine.”

I love a fake marriage trope and Alexei and Georgie being enemies who marry just means the book will be full of banter and tension. 😘 I loved these two so much.
“I thought I hated Dr. Georgia Greene, but I think I may have been very, very wrong.”

I can’t wait to now go back and read more about the rest of the Vancouver Storm players and their other halves!
🔥: “Remind me how this part goes again,”

One of my most anticipated books for the summer! Sparks were already flying between these two before this book, which made me all the more excited for them to finally shine. And boy, did Archer deliver.

I was worried for a while in the beginning that the book would rely too heavily on miscommunication between the two leads. We'd already seen how that goes down in the previous installment of the series, and I wasn't such a huge fan of it there. But after a rocky start, Gloves Off really found its footing and delivered us an incredibly satisfying story with emotional vulnerability between two leads who always want to take charge. I loved how we gradually got to see them build trust with one another between all of their electric back-and-forths and bickering. By the end, you can't help but root for them with your whole heart.

While Georgia and Alexei's story can be read standalone, you get a fuller picture if you see them in The Wingman first!

Gloves Off was my first foray into Stephanie Archer's books and the Vancouver Storm series, and I think I've done myself a disservice by not starting this series sooner/from the begging. I loved this, so much.

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!