I'm admittedly always down to read a hockey romance, but Gloves Off was a particularly fun read. I couldn't put this book down; I finished reading it in one sitting!

3.5⭐️


Alexei, defensa estrella del equipo Vancouver Storm, está en el ocaso de su carrera. A sus 36 años, lucha contra las secuelas físicas de una vida en el hielo, las amenazas de retiro y una situación legal delicada: su ciudadanía canadiense está en peligro, y sin ella, tanto él como su familia podrían ser deportados a Rusia. Georgia, por su parte, es una doctora decidida, estilosa y comprometida con su trabajo, especialmente con un programa de rehabilitación para atletas adolescentes que se ve amenazado por falta de financiación. Para acceder a una herencia millonaria que podría salvar su programa, necesita casarse.

Ambos odian lo que creen saber el uno del otro: Georgia considera a Alexei arrogante, condescendiente y superficial; Alexei ve a Georgia como una princesa rica y mimada. Ninguno de los dos cree en el amor ni lo desea; solo buscan obtener algo del otro sin compromisos reales, por lo que acceden a casarse. Pero la convivencia forzada, los roces constantes, y la necesidad de fingir una relación perfecta ante el público, acaban desenmascarando su vulnerabilidad y revelando una conexión genuina.



_

Lo único que no me gustó fue que faltó ver a Alexei realmente en un mal y verdaderamente arrepentido por cómo trató a Georgia. Sí se notó su remordimiento, pero me hizo falta que se humillara un poco más.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

this was SO good!!!

i love the fake marriage trope and this book didn’t disappoint. alexei embodies everything a fake husband obsessed and protective of his fake wife should be

this book was long and it included so much character growth and didn’t feel rushed at all!

bonus points for no third act breakup

now i guess i need to devour the rest of the books in the series

I love this series and was so excited to be approved for an advance copy of Gloves Off! I don’t always love the marriage of convenience trope, but it worked really well in this book. It made me really sad that these characters hated each other so much from simple misunderstandings. I thought the flow of the story and their marriage evolving was really well done, and their chemistry was incredible. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

I was so excited for Georgia and Alexei’s story from the little moments we got of them in the last book, and it was just as good as I expected! I love the marriage of convenience trope, and their banter and chemistry was so fun and spicy. Loved this couple so much! Don’t want to spoil the next couple/trope but already getting excited for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Gloves Off
5/5 ⭐️

Enemies to lovers??? Marriage of Convenience??? LET'S GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Alexei and Georgia absolutely loathe each other, but agree to enter a marriage of convenience so Alexei can gain citizenship and Georgia can claim her inheritance, and really it works out because neither one wants to actually get married anyways. Or so they think... 😏

I was a little apprehensive at the start of this book, because I've been pretty adamant that I'm not a fan of miscommunication, but I'm realizing now that what I actually don't like is LACK of communication. The reason Alexei and Georgia don't like each other is based on misunderstandings and assumptions from when they first met, and I LOVED IT. I completely understood why they didn't like each other based on that first initial experience. I honestly think I'd be equally as frustrated with the other if I believed what they did of each other at the beginning.

The banter of the two characters was perfect and the dual POV was delightful so we could see how they each processed the new information they were learning about the other that challenged their preconceived notions. I loved the growth each of the characters experienced and how it brought them even closer together. I also LOVE a good "my wife" moment, and this one had them aplenty.

Read this if you like:
-Hockey Romance
-Enemies to Lovers
-Marriage of Convenience
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Forced Proximity

Thank you to @netgalley @dellromance for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

There is no trope in hockey romance that Stephanie Archer doesn't CRUSH!

This book was steamy, fun, and I absolutely fell in love with Alexei and Georgia in this book. Their chemistry was off the charts, they had this hilarious banter, and overall the story telling in this book was just perfection!

I loved each and every part of this book so much!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

Dr. Georgia Greene had her heart broken. And now she's entirely focused on her career with no time to waste with any of the the players on the hockey team she works for. When she learns funding for her sports recovery program has been cut, it's time for her to claim her inheritance. But to do so she has to get married.

Alexei Volkov is at the top of his game, and as one of the oldest in the league, he's worried about being forced into retirement. It didn't help that Dr. Greene suggested he retire after his last injury. But he's not a Canadian citizen and if he stops playing hockey, it's possible that he and his family will be sent back to their native Russia.

Alexei and Georgia do not like each other at all. But they're the only hope of getting what they want, so they agree to get married. Just for a year - long enough for his citizenship and her inheritance to come through. But marriage isn't what either one expects. And neither dreams it could be...real.

I absolutely loved this!!! I will read ANYTHING Ms Archer writes, and I am obsessed with these characters and the found family she's built.

I do think that the first half of the book was slow, and I found that it took a little while to warm to our MMC. In some cases he felt mean rather than grumpy, but the second half of the book really saw growth and felt more like the classic Vancouver Storm. I loved the ending, I love these characters, and I already want to re-read the series.

So excited for whatever comes next, and to add this book to my physical collection!!

Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes and I absolutely loved Alexei and Georgia. The tension and chemistry were off the charts & even though this was my first book by Stephanie, it will not be my last.

Thank you to Dell for the e-ARC!

Adorable, cozy, and sassy! This was my first read of anything Stephanie Archer, but it sure won’t be my last! I was blown away with how quickly I was drawn into the story, I read a lot of romance and this one was full of witty banter that kept me turning the page long after it was time for bed. You don’t need to read the previous entries of this series to enjoy this book immensely, but I sure will doing so now! Steamy, adorable, and oh so sweet, I can honestly say that this was a top tier hockey romance book that rivals that of Elle Kennedy or Hannah Grace. If you are in the mood for a sexy Russian hockey star and a sassy team doctor fighting their way into each other’s arms, this will sweep you off your feet!!! ❤️

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7593399982

I. Just. Finished. My. Arc. And O.M.G.

This is a marriage of convenience romance between two people who HATE the other because of who they *think* each other are. When they get to know each other boyyyy oh boy do they realize how wrong they are.

This is a grumpy sunshine book all the way! Georgia is a fierce, feisty girly who knows her worth and Alexei is a guarded grump who deep down is the biggest cinnamon roll on earth.

The two come together and sign the marriage papers when they realize they have no other choice. They have one huge rule and that’s they can’t fall for each other, which of course would *never* happen…. because they hate each other… right..? 😏

Now on an unprofessional note:

I thought NOTHING IN THE WORLD could top The Fake Out but omg ALEXEIIIIIIIIIIII AND GEORGIAAAAA.
First of all Georgia is my absolute favorite fmc ever written. I relate to her SO MUCH and I actually cried real tears whenever she didn’t get her way in this book lowkey because I felt her on such a deep level 😭. Even over the dumbest stuff like.. she could break a nail and omg the tears are flowing!

And ALEXEI OMGMGJFSJFKAIEQJKDJAOAPS GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS. NO WORDS. HE JUST MOVED TO THE TOP OF MY BOOK BOYFRIEND LIST AND LITERALLY SHAT GLITTER ON EVERYONE BELOW HIM. Or should I say he shat petals 😏😏

THE FREAKIN FLOWERS)/&16918:19:)1@:!1&:?2828227:)$292 LIKE OMG. THE WAY MY WHOLE BODY HAD A FULL ON REACTION WHENEVER THEY POPPED UP.

Rory and Alexei are casually sitting at the very very tippy top of my standards for men and I’m afraid NO ONE will ever reach them 😓

But guys this book was everything 100/5 stars. When the haters slowly start turning to lovers is when I start sobbing and let me tell u I was sobbing this entire book.

Stephanie Archer you truly have a gift please never stop righting I’ll cry 😅

The way I am obsessed with this book is not healthy!!

Miss Stephanie you have done it again.

the characters:
Dr. Georgia is now tied with Hazel for my favorite FMC in her universe. I loved how strong, badass, and resilient she was. Like she truly may be my hero now. Like being an attending MD, sports MD, and soccer coach? What can’t she do???

Alexei grew up. He genuinely was a dick but I’m glad he groveled / apologized / bought Georgia lots of things (as he should!). His relationship with his parents was so precious (side note: lowkey love the political implications of his parents speaking out against the Russian government). I was swooning when he started taking mentorship up seriously with Luca and the soccer girlies.

I loved all the other characters being in the book. It’s so fun to read about how their relationships have developed!

I want a Ward and Luca book IMMEDIATELY. I just know I’ll eat it up.

the plot:
I thought the marriage of convenience was handled really well. I genuinely was so curious how Georgia and Alexei would find themselves in a relationship, but it made sense given the situation!

I loved the progression of their romance. It felt almost like a slow burn to me which I loved. Maybe moreso slow burn in the sense of actual feelings developed. But they were so cute (and hot!).

Alexei coming to terms with retirement was also handled so well. I love that he’s a coach! It feels perfectly suited to him.

And ofc I’m obsessed with everything Georgia does. Our queen!

the book cover:
It’s cute! Not my favorite, but that’s okay.

Overall, I loved this!! I cannot wait for more books in this universe.

thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

A solid hockey romance read that features a marriage of convenience with forced proximity. I was invested in Alexei and Georgia's story and seeing their dislike transform into love. I also really enjoyed Georgia's bunnies and seeing Alexei's relationship with them. This book was also great because there was no third act break-up, and the characters communicated their feelings with each other.

I loved this book. Fake marriage and enemies to lovers is one of my favorite combos, and Stephanie Archer absolutely nailed it with Georgia and Alexei. Their chemistry was so good, it was equal parts tension, banter, and genuine emotion. I couldn’t get enough of them.

Georgia needs a husband to unlock her trust fund. Alexei needs to stay in Canada and keep playing hockey. Neither of them actually wants to get married... so of course they end up fake-marrying each other with a set of strict rules that last about five minutes. Georgia is fierce and driven badass FMC, and Alexei is the classic grumpy-softie who tries (and fails) not to catch feelings. Well they both try and fail at doing so.

The way their relationship developed felt natural but still had that slow-burn payoff I was hoping for. It’s the kind of romance that makes you want to rewatch The Proposal and then re-read your favorite scenes just to relive the tension. I’m still thinking about it days later. It had all the tropes I love, done really well, and I flew through it in like a day. Now I obviously need to reread the whole Vancouver Storm series because I’m officially obsessed again.

Tropes:

💍 Marriage of convenience
😤 Enemies to lovers
🥶 Grumpy x sunshine
🏒 Sports romance
🔥 Slow burn
💘 He falls first
🏠 Forced proximity
👰 My wife
👠 Sexy designer heel fetish
💍 “My Wife. My love. My everything” 😍

Stephanie Archer has done it again (and possibly better than ever before!). Gloves Off blew me away, and I say this as someone who worried that this installment in the Vancouver Storm series would be my least favorite. Alexei and Georgia were so precious together, and I was squealing and giddy the whole way through! Archer writes the most thoughtful, "down bad" MMCs, and Alexei blossomed into a character that I adored!
The use of tropes and execution of the plot were so well done, I never felt that the story was dragging and (in fact) wished that it could slow down so that I could bask in the absolute genius that is Stephanie Archer's writing.
This was such an easy five stars for me, and I will recommend Stephanie's books to anyone who will listen!!

I loved the characters and laughing around the way. The hidden messages and miscommunications were cute without being annoying. And the little bit of steam made this a fun read and perfect vacay book!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Man, these enemies had some sick burns on their way to the lovers portion of the trope. I wish the main characters had opened up to each other and gone a bit more in depth about their last relationships and those past hurts, but really enjoyed this one. Looking forward to Ward and Jordan’s book. I really hope Walker gets a book. He gives mad Bedsy or Celebrini vibes.

A marriage of convenience when a hockey player needs a fast track for citizenship and the team Doctor wants to claim her inheritance.

What would you do if you had to marry the one person you swore you hated but secretly desired. It's time to figure out how Alexei Volkov and Dr. Georgia Greene feel. Will they finally see what everyone else has all these years?

Lots of tension, banter, chemistry, and spice in a hockey romance that is off and on the ice fun.

While this is the last book in a series that I just discovered I enjoyed it as a standalone and look forward to reading the previous books over the summer.

This is book 4 in the Vancouver Storm series by Stephanie Archer. This book would be perfect for all fans of hockey romance! Perfect for those that love marriage of convenience, one bed, enemies to lovers, and possessive hereos!