I've read a lot of this authors books and I love them but it took me a bit to get into this and I found I was noticing the writing more than I would normally. Mostly when word choices took me out of the story as they were overly complex or didn't sit quite right. For example using 'esophagus' when 'throat' would be more natural and accurate in one instance. I read this right after book 1 in the series so it was good to have an understanding of the other team members and recent events that were impacting them so I would recommend reading in order to get the most out of this. What happened in book 1 with their teammate gutted me so I was keen to get an update there.

I had wondered what the issue would be with Willa because it didn't seem like she was the heartless abandoner or someone looking for a pay out that is often the case in these kinds of stories. I should've known Kelly would go for the feels, she's definitely one for giving the story extra impact and really going for the emotions. Overall I think this was a 3.5 star read for me as I just didn't adore the couple and get fully caught up in the story like I would normally. It was still a good read though and worth checking out.

@TrishSparklerReads Bookstagram:

“Keeping the Score” by Kelly Jamieson

Genre: Sports Romance
Rating: 5⭐️
Spice: 3🌶️
Darkness: 2🩶
POV: Dual

Highlights:
🩷Alpha Male
🩷NHL Hockey Goalie
🩷Single Dad
🩷Friends To Lovers
🩷Forced Proximity
🩷Slow Burn
🩷Surprise Baby
🩷No 3rd Act Breakup
🩷Anxiety Rep


Thoughts:
This as laugh out loud humorous
This book was fun, heartwarming and often laugh out loud humorous- Ford’s pick up lines were hilarious! And wow, the spice was great- got to love a smexy golden retriever athlete. I also liked how the author handled Ford’s anxiety and the challenges it caused. Expect some tears here and there as there’s some heart wrenching spots. If you want a hockey romance that makes you smile and sometimes swoon, this is it.

🛑Please read all the author warnings as the themes and events could be triggering. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ice hockey is Ford's total focus for years
Until an ex brings something he fears
A baby, four months old, to stay
Him caring for a baby - no way!!

Left with Matilda, he doesn't know what to do
So he asks his friend and neighbour for help, too,
Together they learn to look after the child
But the feelings between them are growing wild!

What a life changer Matilda proved to be
Altering attitudes for all to see.
But what happens when her Mum returns?
Will they let go or find love burns?

A spicy read filled with angst and emotion
Along with surprises, twists and commotion.
For my copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this, mu honest review.

If you're craving a captivating single dad hockey romance, Kelly Jamieson's novels might be just what you need. Known for her engaging storytelling and sizzling romance, Jamieson masterfully combines the thrilling world of hockey with heartfelt relationships. Her characters are often well-developed, with strong, independent protagonists who find love amidst the challenges of life on and off the ice. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, making this book a delightful escape for anyone who loves a good sports romance with a touch of spice. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to her work, Kelly Jamieson's books offer a perfect blend of passion, humor, and emotional depth that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

What more could you want in a book.... hockey and a single dad. Can Andi and Ford resist the forces drawing them together.

Ford and Andi make a family with Tilly!

Goalie Ford Archibald knew he was a little weird about planning everything out. Ford’s planning went out the door when he found out that he had a daughter Matilda and her mother Willa needed to leave town to take care of her parents leaving Matilda with Ford while she was gone. Ford needed help from his next door neighbor Andi Marsh because neither of them had any experience with babies.

I love how Ford and Andi were initially clueless about dealing with Tilly (Matilda) but like all new parents they learn on the job with a little help from their friends as they make a family together.

P.S. There is a tear jerker of a situation with Tillie’s mother so you will need some tissues when you read it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ford and Andi are neighbors and have always been friendly. But when a former hookup shows up at his door with a baby in tow and tells Ford she's leaving the baby with him, he finds himself in over his head and turns to Andi for help. Are they playing house or falling in love?

Read if you like:
-Forced Proximity
-Friends to Lovers

I liked Keeping the Score but I didn't love it. It was very cute and I loved watching Ford and Andi fall in love with Tilly, but I wish she hadn't been what brought them together. It would have been nice to see them on their own before they started playing house. So, basically, all that to say that the pacing felt off.

Keeping the Score follows Ford a professional hockey player who is very career focused. He is very stringent with his schedule and has no time for anything outside of it. Andi is his friend and neighbor who is just getting over a recent divorce from her cheating husband. Both of them love their free, independent lives, until the day that Ford finds out he has a baby. A one night stand from a year ago comes back to bite him in the butt when he not only finds out he has a daughter, but that he needs to look after her for a few months. Ford pleads with Andi to help him and they soon begin to learn how to do this parenting thing. The more time they spend together, the more they find themselves falling in love with this little girl and each other.

Keeping the Score was a spicy romance for those who like hockey romance, friends to lovers, forced proximity, and tension. I loved the characters and how they grew throughout the story. Neither of them wanted kids and both were fiercely independent, but this little girl turned their world upside down. Watching Ford, a very routine oriented athlete who has to always be in control begin to just let things happen as they did, was such huge growth for his character. He was always very disciplined but found that juggling being a parent and having full control don't always go together.

Andi thought she had given up on love. Her husband made her think that there was something wrong with her and made her not trust her instincts about men. Ford is different though and has been a great friend since the divorce. They have been friends for awhile, but brining a baby into the mix really made Andi step up to help support Ford.

Their relationship from friends to lovers was so satisfying to watch. They had such cute banter and chemistry at the start that just grew more intense. I loved how they slowly fell in love and actually communicated with each other. There weren't miscommunications or silly relationship drama. They may have had misunderstandings but they communicated and got through them.
I really enjoyed this story and the characters.

No one writes a sports romance like Kelly Jamieson. Once again, she has written an excellent book. I fell in love with Ford and Andi and their slow burn love story. Highly recommend this book!

This is the second in a series featuring some hockey players finding love. They are interconnected standalone novels and I didn't even realise it was a series until after reading this one so they can absolutely be read without any previous knowledge of the characters.
This was full of spicy moments, but also some really emotional moments. It's not often I will cry at a spicy romance but this absolutely had me tearing up.
Ford and Andi have a wonderful friendship, and it was such a natural progression from that to sexual relationship to real love.
How stinking cute was Tilly, a hot man with a baby is an absolute winner in a book!
I loved the relationship with the other hockey players, they absolutely have each other's backs and I reckon there's lots more to come from this series with all those hot, single, hockey blokes!
I could barely put this down and read it over the course of 24hours. I would absolutely recommend and hope to read more by this author soon.

I am with Andi. Ford is endearing with all of his weirdness and quirkiness. I fell in love with Ford and Andi and their story. They were adorable with how they came together to care for Tilly. Their journey from friends to falling in love was emotional. I really liked how well they communicated, supported, and accepted one another. I enjoyed Ford's relationship with his teammates and how they were really like a family. Their banter and teasing made me smile, and it was very sweet how they supported Ford. This was a beautiful book that had me laughing, blushing, and crying.

I absolutely loved this book! Kelly Jamieson sure knows how to write hockey romance! Ford and Andi are just amazing together and I love that they were friends first. And she is 100% there for him when he needs her the most. Together they navigate having a baby when one suddenly appears at Ford’s place and neither of them ever saw that in their futures. Ford’s perfectly regimented life surrounding his hockey career has now been thrown an adorable monkey wrench in little Matilda, or Tilly as they start to call her. Asking Andi for help was not easy for Ford but he is way out of his depth here. Together they navigate the difficulties and joys of parenting until one day their friendship turns into more. It was only a matter of time considering the simmering attraction that has always been there. They have fiery chemistry and are so good for each other and Tilly. They have their struggles but get through them together.
I love this story and love the other characters in it as well. Looking forward to more from this series!!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Looking for an amazing single dad hockey romance, this one is for you. The spice in this romance was amazing. I can't get enough of kelly Jamieson books.

This story brought tears.

Ford and Andi are next door neighbors and casual friends. Their relationship gets closer when Ford learns he has a daughter that he never knew, and she becomes his full care. Of course, Andi helps with that.

This story is sweet and heart-touching. The friends to lovers works beautifully, plenty of Jamieson’s signature hotness added.

This book gave me all the feels. Spicy? Yes. Dirty talking MMC? Absolute Yes. Mental health representation? Also an amazing yes.

Ford is a hotshot goalie focused on his career while also utilizing tools to make sure his anxieties and focus does not control his life. He’s spent all summer training to reach the goal of more shutouts. He occasionally helps out with his newly divorced neighbor and agrees to attend an event with her that her ex-husband is at. Afterwards, he runs into a one-night stand that ended with an accidental pregnancy. She has to assist her parents out of town for a few months and needs Ford to watch four month old Tilly for her. Both the MMC and FMC have not wanted kids or have any experience with kids. Watching them grow from being clueless parents to being able to not live without her was such an endearing journey. There was also great representation of a parent who struggles with anxiety learning how to handle life with extreme changes.

Thankfully there was no third-act breakup, but the event at this time was absolutely heartbreaking. Took me a moment to get through that chapter through the tears.

This was a great take on a single dad hockey romance that differs enough from the typical mold. Highly recommend for the spice and the feels.

I really enjoyed this!! From start to finish this was a book that I simply did not want to put down. This was by far my favourite book in The New Jersey Storm series!

Ford and Andi are neighbours, friends through lived circumstances and in Andi’s case through her ex. The chemistry seeped through the pages when it came to Andi and Ford. Despite only being a few pages in I was obsessed with wanting them to get together

When Ford receives a surprise visit from a one night stand, both his and Andi’s worlds are then upside down. Now faced with a new born baby to raise and look after, Ford needs Andi more than ever. What I loved about this was how genuine their friendship was and this grew and developed so naturally within the stop.

I loved how vulnerable Ford allowed himself to be despite keeping up the persona of the hockey player with a rigid routine.

I really loved this hockey romance between slightly obsessive, schedule-driven professional goalie Ford and his next door neighbor Andi. The book definitely stands alone well, as I didn't read the first book in the series, but didn't feel lost in any way.

Ford and Andi have been neighbors and friends for several years in their condo building. Andi was previously married to a professional baseball player who cheated on her so she's wary of getting involved with another professional athlete, but she and Ford and JUST friends, right? When Ford learns he is a father and has to take charge of his 4 mo. old (adorable) baby girl, he of course, turns to Andi. Although she knows nothing about babies either and has had no desire to have children of her own, she pretty much upends her own life to help him out.

The sparks between them were real and palpable. Their friendship had always been easy so it makes sense that as they started spending time together in a pressure situation, they'd see each other in a whole new light. I loved the way they both stepped up to take care of little Tilly, putting her needs first with no hesitation and falling in love with her and with each other. There were some heavy moments in the book, but overall it was a heartwarming and happy romance. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

“Love isn’t all hugs and kisses and puppies and kittens. It’s hard. It’s vulnerable. It’s sacrifice. It’s hurting when someone else hurts. Because of all those things, it takes courage to love.”Ford and Andi wasn’t mean to happen. They were friends and nothing more. But then, little Matilda came to their lives and changed everything. If they are brave enough to face their fears and insecurities and realise that they make each other better persons and are stronger together. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy. This is my honest review.

Ford has a strict routine and set of rules that he lives by, but when a woman turns up at his door, whom he had a one night stand with a year ago, and a baby in her arms, claiming that it is his, he has not choice but to adjust his live.

With the help of his neighbour, Andi, the two must work together to co parent Matilda, without falling in love with each another, or her.

Jamieson, gives you a narrative to take you through all of the emotions! I was angry, then I cried with Andi and Ford in different places, to then have my heartbroken with an unexpected twist at the end.

These are character are beautiful, reflecting on themselves and working through, what they consider their flaws. But i love how they grow together and knowing that communication is the biggest thing that was needed, I've never seen an author use this so easily in a narrative. I loved how they were so grown up and understand that I wanted to relate and grow with them.

This is a great novel in the series which can be read as a stand alone, I hope this author keeps them coming and I really do want a backstory for every team player.

Heartfelt, emotional, spicy and a story you can deeply connect with. I really enjoyed Andi and Ford’s story.