This was a soft, emotional second-chance romance with real-life struggles. Ellis is a single mom dealing with a chronic illness and a lot of pain from her past. I really liked seeing a main character with fibromyalgia, it felt honest and refreshing.
Liam was a total sweetheart. Ex-hockey player, and he’s never really gotten over Ellis. I loved how he didn’t just come back for her, but also fully accepted her son like his own.
That said, the story had a lot of back-and-forth. There were lots inner thoughts, and I got a bit tired of the miscommunication. Some parts dragged unfortunately. Still, I felt the love between them, and the way they slowly came back together felt natural. Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily and with genuine appreciation

Melting for You is a second chance hockey romance.
It had the emotional depth and a promising story line but there was way too much inner monologue for me. I love how hard Liam loves Ellis but it just wasn’t enough to keep me invested in their story.

This book is beyond cheesy. The illness, although I know it is real, is over the top and not my style. I know that you can bring awareness to the world in fiction about an illness, but it was not handled well. Also, the characters were ridiculous. Did not finish but I wanted to give my opinion.

Melting for You follows the second chance relationship of Ellis and Liam. They dated in college and broke up before Liam was drafted to the NHL. 10 years later, they see each other at a bar and go home together. Ellis swears it’s “just one night”, but Liam has never given up his love for her.
The book follows the struggles Ellis faces as a single mom with fibromyalgia and when Ellis sees those two pink lines after her one night with Liam, everything changes. Ellis is an overthinker (though rightfully so on many fronts) and we see her struggle to let Liam, our cinnamon roll-golden retriever, back into her heart and family. This book is full of deep thoughts and emotions so be ready to bring out a tissue!

Tropes:
🩵 Second chance
🩵 Surprise pregnancy
🩵 Single parent
🩵 Found family
🩵 Chronic illness rep
🩵 He falls first (and hard)
🌶️🌶️ The spice was spicing! Not too much, not too little.

What I loved:
-The plot & the characters. Liam is such a golden retriever, cinnamon roll MMC and Ellis is our chronic illness rep, single parent FMC. Jack is her 5 year old, a sweet and gentle soul. He reminds me of my kiddo.
-I related to alot of Ellis’ inner thoughts. The overthinking, the worry/stress.
-Seeing Liam love Jack like his own. From the beginning, Liam was willing to help and do what he could to make life better and easier for Ellis and Jack.
-Reading the realistic struggles of a parent. Mom guilt, feeling alone, and second guessing everything. It was so relatable as a toddler mom myself.
-The found family aspect. Seeing Ellis go from feeling so utterly alone to having her family was heartwarming.
-There were quite a few times I laughed out loud.
-“F#ck it”

What I didn’t love:
-The inner thoughts and monologues felt lengthy at times. There were a few scenes I wished we had gotten dialogue for, such as when Liam & Ellis discuss how he told his teammates about the pregnancy, and when they found out about the baby’s gender. There was a strong build-up for both of these events but when the actual events happened, they were written as thoughts. (I see this as Liam and Ellis are two people who are very much in their heads often and while I relate, I just wanted a bit more dialogue).

-Sometimes I just wanted to scream at Ellis “Girl just let him love you!” 😩🤣

-I wanted to get to know Lindsey, Ellis’ best friend & employee, more! It seemed like they have a great relationship and it was nice knowing Ellis had her to lean on.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Hera for letting me read this ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me the eARC!

2,75⭐️
What a fun idea! I must say I really liked the storyline with the FMC’s chronical illness which I haven’t seen in a book before, so that was interesting to read about.. I also loved the MMC who was the golden retriever type that I love.

Unfortunately this book had many downsides in my opinion.
There was a lot of time jumps which I understand, but at the same time I feel like we jumped over a few scenes, which would’ve been nice to read about in a chapter not in one paragraph. Many parts we were just told about and not showed. For example, they mentioned going on their first date in 10 years, which I think would have a impact on the story and seeing more of their connection.

Also I think some of their arguments started completely out of nowhere and even though the FMC was hormonal and she was aware she was being mean it was just a total whiplash and sometimes it was going back and forth.

But I also must mention that I loved seeing the side characters and their relationships with the main characters that I really felt the found family there. And also Liam’s moments with the kids was sooo cute!

I think I’ll give the next book in this series (judging by the ending of the book) a chance to see what happened there.

🥹 Heart? Shattered. Healed. Then melted completely.

Imagine Life As We Know It meets The Deal meets a Pinterest board titled “hot hockey dads with emotional depth.” Now throw in a ton of pining, quiet healing, and a man who has never stopped loving her---and you’ve got Melting for You. Teagan Phillips came for my soul with this debut. It’s warm and angsty and tender in a way that sneaks up on you, and suddenly you’re 300 pages deep whispering “just kiss already” while also sobbing over a found family breakfast scene. It’s that kind of book--a second chance romance that feels like coming home after a long, messy storm.

Ellis Ainsley is a survivor. Living with chronic illness, raising a son, and managing a high-pressure job, she’s built walls that feel necessary. Watching her wrestle with vulnerability and slowly let someone back in? It’s frustrating sometimes, yes---but it’s also honest and deeply moving. And Liam Ruinsky… I don’t even know where to begin. NHL legend, total softie, the ultimate “he fell first and never fell out” hero. He’s not here just because there’s a baby--he’s here because he’s always loved Ellis. Patient, loyal, and so endlessly kind, he is the moment. Someone give this man a medal. Or my number. Honestly, either.

The surprise pregnancy didn’t feel like a plot twist-it was an emotional anchor that gave the story weight and heart. Liam with Ellis and their son Jack? Utter perfection. Their little found family had me in pieces. The chronic illness rep was handled with so much care and nuance. It added depth to Ellis’s journey without ever turning her pain into a plot device, and I really appreciated that. And I need to shout this from the rooftops: NO third-act breakup. 🙌 Just two people slowly, messily, tenderly choosing love again and again. The whole story unfolds over a year, and it makes their healing feel earned.

Also, the side characters? I’m obsessed. The team dynamics, the friendships, the sense of community--it felt like stepping into a whole world. Lyndsey and Edge better be getting their own books because I’m already too invested.

That said, Ellis girl... please. Let the man LOVE YOU. The emotional push-pull was a little much at times. And there were quite a few moments where I was begging for just one good heart-to-heart to clear the air. But when they finally opened up? It hit so hard.

And then there was this quote-

“Being around Ellis Ainsley is like waiting for the sun to rise, like watching the first hints of light flow over the hills and brighten everything it touches. She bursts through the darkness of the night. That’s why I call her Sunshine.”
😭😭😭 Liam, my emotional stability depends on you now.

Melting for You is everything I want in a second chance sports romance: emotional, character-driven, messy in the best way, and ultimately full of hope. Teagan Phillips didn’t just write a love story-she wrote a homecoming. If you’re in your “soft hockey heroes who would do anything for their girls” era, this book needs to be on your radar. It’s not just swoony--it’s soul-deep. 🩵

I received an eARC of Melting for You, and I’d like to thank Tegan Phillips, Hera Books, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book ahead of its release!
Melting for You is a heartwarming, second-chanc
e-at-love contemporary hockey romance. Ellis Ainsley, our FMC, runs into her ex-boyfriend from college, Liam Ruinsky, during a night out—and it seems fate brought them together for just one night of nostalgia. However, about a month after their chance meeting, Ellis gets a positive pregnancy test. The two find themselves back in each other’s lives, this time trying to figure out how to co-parent a baby on the way, all while navigating their preexisting feelings.

This story had great bones, and it deserves praise for that. One of the reasons I was interested in this release was the mention of chronic illness. As someone with chronic and undiagnosed pain, I’m always willing to give a book with chronic illness representation a chance. Phillips, drawing from her own experience, wrote a very relatable main character—which is something I don’t often see from indie authors.

The pacing made it easy to keep reading and hard to put down. Somehow, Phillips was able to write about pregnancy in a way that didn’t feel rushed at all, especially considering the book covers over a year in just over 300 pages.

This book also puts a strong emphasis on found/chosen family, and I thought it was beautifully executed. Given a second chance, Liam is dedicated to being involved in Ellis’ life however she’ll have him—helping raise both his child and the child Ellis had from another relationship, all while respectfully pursuing the woman he’s never gotten over. Because of this, Liam’s teammates become invested in the life Ellis and Liam are building together. They’re incredibly supportive throughout the pregnancy and beyond. It was refreshing to read a story with such a solid, well-developed found family dynamic.

Despite these praises, I do think a few choices caused the book to suffer.

Nowhere in the summary does it mention that Ellis is already a single mother before the one-night stand. I think adding that detail would help draw in more readers—or at least avoid surprising readers who might not relate to that storyline. Personally, I might not have been as interested if I’d known there would be a stepparent dynamic, just because it’s something I don’t connect with as much.

Toward the end, I got the sense that the message became a little skewed: that chronic illness could be made more manageable with access to money. Early on, Ellis is shown coping with her illness alone, but once Liam returns, he’s able to help her—not just emotionally, but financially. He’s a rich hockey player, and he buys her things to make parenting easier, like a crib with hydraulic lifts or a bedside fridge and bottle warmer so she can stay in bed to minimize fatigue. While those are sweet gestures, most people don’t have that kind of financial support, and it made some of the representation feel a bit out of touch for the average reader.

And I don’t say this often, but I do think the sexual content in this book felt unnecessary. I truly believe the story would’ve landed just as solidly if it were a straightforward second-chance romance focused on the pregnancy and emotional growth. I ended up skimming the last two sex scenes because they distracted from the sweetness of the story happening outside the bedroom.

My biggest complaint is that the book would’ve benefited from a more thorough copy edit before release. There were a number of grammatical errors and missing punctuation, which may have stemmed from the use of British English versus American English. I’m not sure if all grammar and punctuation rules carry over exactly, but either way, some of these issues could have been smoothed out. One moment that stood out in particular: the reveal of the baby’s gender. Ellis and Liam had a playful argument earlier about whether or not to find out before the birth—but when the reveal happened, it felt glossed over. One chapter ended with us not knowing, and in the next, there was just a quick mention that revealed it. I was genuinely disappointed there wasn’t a sweet moment of discovery between them. A more careful edit might have helped highlight moments like that.

That said, this story was absolutely heartwarming. Liam was a dream of an MMC, and there were so many strong elements—especially the chronic illness rep and the found family. With a little polish and a more transparent summary, I think the book could better reach its intended audience. I’d rate this as a three-star book, and I’m definitely interested in reading more from Phillips. Especially if we get another book featuring some of the side characters… There was a surprise reveal at the end that left me absolutely floored, and I need to know what happens next!
Once again, thank you to Tegan Phillips, Hera Books, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read Melting for You ahead of its release. All opinions in this review are my own.

I thought was a great concept and a cute book. I struggle between a 3.5-4 star because I did have a couple of things I wanted as far as pacing.
Tropes are on point: sports romance, hockey romance, accidental pregnancy, second chance romance, found family, and single parent.
One of the best quotes, "I will on to hope that when the time is right, when need each other the most, we will find our way back" - O.M.G. = I loved this. Swoon!
Ellis and Liam go back to a college one-night stand. Next thing you know, Ellis has an accidental pregnancy. Ultimately leading us to the love story that brings our main characters back together.
Chronic illness representation throughout, and I LOVE that about the book.
It is written in Dual POV, another thing I love.
This is an easy read, and I think for a debut novel, a job well done!
The plot is fairly well structured, and the pace is good. I found a few moments I wanted things to move a little faster, but it wasn't a deal breaker.
The characters are, for the most part, well-developed. I like the secondary characters and what they add to the relationships and how they enhance the plot. I could see some great books coming about some of these secondary characters (Please, Tegan!).
Thank you to NetGalley and Tegan Phillips for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!
Tegan, you did a great job and congratulations on this novel!
Happy Reading!

I was sent an eArC from Netgalley for an honest review. I usually get through these books quickly but I found the FMC so insufferable I couldn’t continue. It is a standard 2nd chance hockey romance with an accidental pregnancy trope. Initially I enjoyed it and the MMC was so sweet which made the FMC seem even worse! She was so whiny and self centred and excused her bad behaviour on her chronic illness (and as a sufferer of one) I found this quite a lazy plot point and it really made me not want to carry on. I ended the book after she went into a doom spiral as it wasn’t doing anything for me!

I mean who doesn’t love a hockey romance! at times the book could feel lengthy with a lot of internal silage and conflict without much resolution or communication between character

This book was so steamy it should have melted the ice on the rink! After having a fling with her ex boyfriend from years before, chronically ill Ellis finds herself pregnant. Liam isn't about to lose the love of his life a second time. Will these 2 be able to find their way back to each other? Spice alert! I cannot wait to read more by this author!

A cute love story between the two main characters that used to date each other. I was hooked from the start and could not wait to see what happened next with the protagonists. Usually I am not a fan of the pregnancy trope, but this one seems to work for me.

I really enjoyed this book, surprise pregnancy trope is not my favorite and usually a skip. But the way Tegan did it and had Ellis own it and have the open communication with Liam made the book and trope better!

You can also feel the Tegan uses her experience with a chronic disease in her story telling, this gives people an understand of what someone goes through in a daily basis.

No third act breakup, which is a huge selling point for me! Ellis and Liam are able to push past Ellis’s insecurities and communicate.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher’s for giving me the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Too much for me. The characters especially. Ellis truly needs therapy to move on from her assumptions, with lots of self blame and victimisation (nothing to do with her medical condition as that is a ocmpletely a different topic which was well done on the author) the communications are mostly done by Liam and that's just not a balanced healthy ideal relationship that they think they're having as a couple. As for liam, I guess he's okay as a dad for Jack and I felt bad for Jack feeling left out when theyre about to welcome the baby but him as a love interest is too much for me, I don't know what it is, it's just icky. Doing too much is just kinda suspicious.

2.5

Melting for You is a heartwarming and emotional second-chance romance that follows Liam and Ellie, college sweethearts whose relationship ends when Liam leaves to pursue a career in the NHL. A decade later, a chance encounter at a bar leads to an unforgettable night—and a surprise pregnancy that changes everything.

I truly enjoyed this book. As a parent myself, I found Liam’s journey into fatherhood deeply relatable. His excitement, fears, and growth as he navigates new parenting responsibilities really resonated with me. The evolving bond between Liam and Ellie’s son, Jack, was one of the highlights of the story—it was tender, authentic, and added so much depth to Liam’s character.

Beyond the romance, the book also tackles some heavy and important themes. It doesn’t shy away from exploring the impacts of absent parents, the realities of chronic illness, and the lasting wounds caused by verbally abusive relationships. These elements added emotional complexity and made the characters’ struggles feel real.

Melting for You is a moving story about love, redemption, and the courage to start over. If you enjoy second chances, heartfelt family moments, and emotionally layered storytelling, this book is definitely worth a read.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of Melting for You by Tegan Phillips from Hera Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I did not like this book. It says nowhere she's a single mom. Not being my favourite trope made the reading a bit boring and annoying at the same time.
Ellis apparently had not grown or matured in the ten years since she broke up with Liam. Again, annoying.

I was lucky enough to receive an arc and it did not disappoint!
After going their separate ways post college , Ellis and Liam see each other at a night club , with their electric chemistry, quickly one things leads to another. Another being a one night stand , next thing Ellis knows her period being late ….
This book has the surprise pregnancy trope , sports romance , chronic illness representation, second chance ,green flag boyfriend .
This book is so cute and a perfect palette cleanser , I think this is a great debut novel ! So well done Tegan ! at first the fmc annoyed me but further into the book I found myself relating to her , she felt so real so raw , and the mmc is such a golden retriever the literal definition of a green flag , I loved it and it gave me exactly what I needed !!
Thank you to Hera and Tegan Phillips for the review copy .

This is a really lovely book that is easy to read. Fabulous characters! Great storyline! Very enjoyable.

Melting for You had such a promising premise but unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me. This is the first love hockey romance I read. I really wanted to enjoy it but I kept feeling like I was forcing myself to sit and read. It wad drowing with excessive inner monologues. So many key moments were told rather than shown which is a huge book ick for me. It just made it harder to connect with the characters and story line. I will admit that there were a few sweet scenes but I fear it just wasn’t enough for me. I did like the honest portrayal of motherhood as a mom myself—it felt sincere and genuine in that sense—but overall, the pacing dragged and it just felt very repetitive and underwhelming. This wasn’t my cup of tea but I could see others really liking it.

When Ellis Ainsley runs into her ex, Liam Ruinsky, ten years after they split, she remembers why she fell for him all those years ago. A tall, strong, charming ice hockey player - he really was a dream man. But their lifestyles are now worlds apart, and surely wouldn't work in reality. But the temptation is too much, and they agree to one last night together.
This is an adorable hockey romance with a swoony mmc who is head over heels in love with Ellis.
A brilliant debut for the author and definitely an author to get excited about.
Flawless writing, compelling plot and characters that are real and relatable.
There is chronic pain and fatigue representation as Ellis has fibromyalgia which makes you want to wrap her up in cotton wool.
These two have oodles of chemistry and her son Jack is adorable.
I'm hugely looking forward to the rest of the series.
The book also brings awareness to the condition of fibromyalgia which I also suffer with as does the author and her approach is with empathy towards her fmc. Both characters have depth and I also liked that for once the smut didn't rule the book.
This is a book not to be missed and our mmc is an absolute kitten 🐾