Audiobook Listen 🎧
Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso & Sean Patrick Hopkins
Narration: Duet
Rating: 3.75 stars

This charming contemporary rom-com was the perfect palate cleanser between the darker, twistier reads I’ve been devouring lately. Writing Mr. Wrong delivers exactly what it promises—an easy, feel-good escape with witty banter, quirky situations (that cease and desist moment with the ex? Comedy gold), and just enough emotional depth to keep you invested.

The story was performed in duet narration, which is always a win for me. I love hearing both POVs come to life in real time. Both narrators were new to me, and while Sean Patrick Hopkins had a great tone and pacing, Patricia Santomasso’s voice didn’t quite click for me personally. That said, it didn’t detract enough to pull me out of the story—I still found myself smiling through most of it.

If you’re in the mood for a breezy, sweet listen that won’t emotionally wreck you, this is a solid pick!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Writing Mr. Wrong was such a fun read! If you love second chance romance with rom-com vibes and snappy banter, this one’s for you. Gemma, a debut author, ends up writing a jerk of a love interest based on her first crush, Mason, who just happens to be a now-famous hockey player. She thinks no one will notice… until an old classmate reunites them live on air (yikes). Mason rolls with it, they go viral, and what starts as a PR dinner turns into a whirlwind of chaos, swoony moments, and a surprise getaway.

I loved Gemma. She didn’t let Mason off easy, especially when he messed up. Watching her find her confidence again after dealing with a controlling ex was really satisfying. And Mason? A little clueless at first, but so charming once he started actually trying. The man literally asked her to teach him how not to be an asshole... I mean, how do you not root for that?

Are you looking for a romance that involves turning off your brain and reading? This might be the one for you.

I am all for books that take me out of my life, and Kelley Armstrong does a pretty good job of taking me out of my life.

Gemma has just released her first published novel: a historical romance with a morally grey character. As inspiration, she used her childhood crush, now a major hockey star, Mason Moretti. The problem? An old classmate turned local morning show host invites them both onto the show and exposes the basis of the character. The publicity shoots up the sales of Gemma's book and helps Mason with his image problem. With a strong focus on mental health, the two decide to continue the charade to improve her sales and his image. Miscommunications ensue. Can they find their way to be together and work through their own issues?

Both narrators were excellent and immersed the reader fully in the story.

Thank you to Forever, Hachette Audio, and Net Galley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

I will admit right off the top that I am a huge Kelley Armstrong fan. This though is the first strictly romance of hers that I have read/listened too. I did not expect it to pull me in like it did. It was fun, lighthearted, and comfortable. I LOVED IT! Is there any genre she can’t write?

I really liked Gemma and Mason, and I found it so refreshing that they are older. Ok, 36 isn’t exactly ‘older’ but they have lived. Gemma being recently divorced and Mason having to come to terms with the fact that at 36 he is a senior hockey player. I feel like the age of the characters made their wanting to change, and grow, and actually communicate, believable. Those grandmas were damn priceless too.

The audiobook is a duet narration, and it was done fantastically. Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins were perfect. Also, little details like the “ding” notification of a text message, amazing production. It was excellent!

If you’re looking for a cozy, second chance romance, I highly recommend you pick this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Kelley Armstrong!

Gemma is a college English instructor and she's just published her first book. She has a two book contract so she's trying to write the second one while doing publicity for the first one. While she's doing a live interview, an interviewer Gemma went to high school with thought she recognized the hero as a hockey player also from high school. Gemma thought the character had some traits as her high school friend, but she certainly didn't model the character on him. No! She did not! To make matters worse, Mason was invited on the show to surprise her.

Unbeknownst to Gemma, Mason had a crush on her back in school, but he'd hurt and humiliated Gemma then. So now he's still interested, while she doesn't want anything to do with him. But he keeps trying and their publicists think they should fake date to get publicity. He's so well intentioned, but he keeps screwing up. Making matters more insulting, he tries to fix things by throwing money at her.

Great story, with him bumbling his way into her affections. And of course, things start to heat up.
I listened to the audio version of the book. While both narrators were excellent, I really loved the voice of Sean Patrick Hopkins, the male narrator.

Cuuuute but will be forgettable.

Best parts of this book was the MMCs growth from being an absolute asshole hockey player to a considerate person. And also loved the FMCs growth from being in a shitty relationship to knowing her worth. Loved that!

Also highly recommend on audio - it’s a duet narration and a super quick binge!

Read if you like:
🌶️ closed door spice (1/5 - mentions of activity but no on-page action)
🏒 hockey
💗 romance books
🥹 childhood friends to strangers to lovers
🏝️ vacations
👩‍💻 writing

★★★★✩ 4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This one was such a cute surprise! It mixes some of my favorite tropes, second chance, fake dating, forced proximity, and hockey romance, into a story that’s sweet, fun, and genuinely heartfelt. Gemma writes her high school crush into her romance novel (as the “Mr. Wrong,” no less), and of course, that man, now a famous hockey player, finds out. Cue a viral reunion and a fake dating scheme to boost both their images...and feelings, obviously!

The ARC provided was an audiobook and it was great - 5 stars to the narrators, Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins. This was a duet narration (my favorite), and the chemistry between the narrators was fantastic. It had just enough character variation without getting too performative, and the pacing worked great at regular or faster speeds. Little touches like the soft chime for text messages really elevated the whole vibe, although the first time it happened I kept looking around trying to figure out what made the noise.

This was my first Kelley Armstrong romance and will not be my last! Gemma and Mason felt like real adults with actual emotional maturity (love to see it, especially in a FMC who doesn't just change for a guy and stands her ground), and even though it wasn’t overly dramatic or high-stakes, it still had plenty of heart. It’s the kind of cozy, feel-good romance that leaves you smiling.

Second chance romance with a hockey star complete fake dating with some misunderstandings and surprisingly mature lead characters? WOW!

Gemma is a professor turned romance author who is tricked into a live television meeting with the man she based her not-so-lovable hero on in her debut novel. Mason, her high school crush turned somewhat nemesis, is a hockey star for the local NHL team and he has an image problem. When he comes to Gemma’s rescue during the live interview, the public falls in love with the couple leading to a PR stunt of fake dating in order to help Mason’s reputation as well as Gemma’s book sales. This inevitably leads to real feelings that have always been there and facing some harsh truths about themselves.

What I enjoyed about this book was how mature the characters were. When they messed up, they were quick to own up to it as you would expect from 36 year old adults. There was no long, drawn out break up. When something uncomfortable happened, they dealt with it like adults and moved on. So refreshing! It was a quick, simple read wrapped up with a brief glimpse at their HAE.

I liked the dual POVs in the audiobook, though I did find it weird at first because the book is written in third person. I look forward to more of these!

Loved this audiobook. Kept my attention the whole time. Loved and hated Mason which is my fav experience!! Thank you!!

3.5 stars rounded up! The narrators of this audiobook did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed the duo POV in this book. The main character, writes a book about her ex turned famous hockey player and he attempts to win her back. At times, the characters (especially the male main character), felt so immature. It legit was hard to believe he was retiring from hockey. As you probably know, I'm not a huge fan of miscommunication and this book involved quite a bit. Overall, this was my first boom by Kelley Armstrong, and despite not reading the previous book in this series, I found that I was able to follow along to the story perfectly! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced audiobook copy!

Writing Mr. Wrong is an unexpectedly heartfelt and genuinely enjoyable read that completely pulled me in. The story follows a successful author who usually avoids writing romance but gives in for her fans— only to base the love interest on her high school crush who is now a hockey star.

What starts as a simple book promo turns messy when a former classmate—now a tv interviewer —invites them both onto a segment together , clearly trying to stir up drama and make the author look bad. But instead of falling apart, she and her old crush come together. They agree to fake date to clean up the PR mess and boost both of their careers... but the longer they pretend, the more real their feelings.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s romantic, funny, a little dramatic in the best way, and filled with moments that made me smile. Whether you’re a fan of fake dating, second chances, or just a well-told love story, Writing Mr. Wrong is worth every page.

I really liked the readers' interpretations; you could feel the emotion of the characters through their voices. A very good duo.

From time to time, Gemma got on my nerves. It bothers me that I didn't love it as much as I wanted. They market it as a good sports romance, but I found it tiresome and repetitive. I quite liked Maxon's personality, and I found his point of view more entertaining than Gemma's.

The truth is, I didn't like the ending at all, and I'm not even talking about the epilogue, which was very good. I'm still thinking about it, but I'm going to give it a 3/5.

Thanks to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a fun, lighthearted read—perfect for when you want something breezy and easy to sink into. The sports element added a bit of flavor without dominating the story, which I appreciated. But what really made this book shine for me was the audiobook production. It was excellent—clean, clear, and super well-paced, with great voice acting that brought the characters to life. Even the sound effects were used thoughtfully and added an extra layer of immersion without feeling cheesy or overdone. Honestly, I might not have enjoyed this story as much in print, but as an audiobook, it was genuinely enjoyable and super well produced.

As for the story itself, it was solidly fine. Nothing groundbreaking, but pleasant enough. My biggest issue was with Gemma—she’s a very bland lead. She’s constantly described as a “hide in the shadows” kind of girl, and that’s exactly how she came across. There’s nothing particularly witty, funny, or standout about her, which made it hard to understand why Mason was so head over heels for her. Their relationship felt a little flat—not toxic or annoying, just kind of lukewarm. It never quite read as love, more like a nice friendship with a side of attraction.

That said, if you’re looking for a cozy, no-stakes romance with excellent audiobook production value, this one delivers. It’s not swoony or unforgettable, but it’s the kind of book that’s easy to enjoy while folding laundry or walking the dog—and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

Okayyy!! This was my first book my Kelly Armstrong and it was good. I liked the plot, the setting, characters and the romance.
spice: 🌶️/5
Summary: This is a book about a new debut female author and hockey player who is trying to figure out his emotions and why he does the things that he does. Our couple knew each other from high school and have a little past, but when they meet eachother after 10 years she is divorcee and he is in his last years of being a enforcer as a hockey player. It is a cute little romance where both find each other and help each other to see what they want. MMC struggles with being careless, he does somethings and then later regrets it. He does go through character development. I thought the ending was kinda rushed but overall i really enjoyed the book
Thanks Netgally and Hachette Audio for providing this amazing audiobook!!

I really enjoyed this audio book! Having more than one narrator, always makes an audio book better in my opinion. The story is the same old trope of meeting back up with the boy the girl liked in high school. The well written characters are what makes this book fun.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC.

The concept of this one is fun: a romance writer with writer’s block after a divorce decides to date a hockey player to spark inspiration for her next book. While the setup is great, the execution felt a bit flat. Some parts were charming, others a bit cringy, and overall it didn’t completely win me over.

That said, the narrators did a lovely job. Their performances helped keep me engaged, even when the story itself didn’t quite do it for me.

5 stars!

This was such a treat! So fun and romantic, but I also loved the characters and their development.

I listened to the audio version. And it was excellent! The narrators were great and the duet style worked really well. Absolutely great audio production!

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pov: dual, 3rd person
Heat: open doors / fade to black
Pacing: slowburn
Communication: miscommunication in the past, but great communication in the present
Third act: external crisis
Ending: HEA

Main characters:
* Alpha Hero
* Millionaire
* Opposites attract

What?
* Fake dating
* Forced proximity
* Second chance
* Sports romance: hockey

Where?
* Traveling together

Drama?
* Difficult past

Other vibes:
* Book about books
* The one that got away
* It has always been you

🎧Song Pairing: So High School - Taylor Swift

💭What I thought would happen:

I thought magical realism. Like she writes a character and he comes to life (nope I was wrongo)

📖What actually happens:

✌🏻Second chance romance
✏️High school crushes
🏒Hockey romance
🩷Fake dating-ish
⚠️Miscarriage, divorce, verbally abusive father
💜Dyslexia rep

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Kelley giiiiiirl. I see your pain! This book screams I was wrong by a hockey bruh in high school and I need an outlet to write about it. Been there, done that! Fuuuucking Mike. Hands up if you too🙋🏼‍♀️

My favourite chameleon author. I’m convinced she can write any genre. I didn’t love this one quite as much as Finding Mr Write but sooo bingeable!

I’d say the fmc needs to let go of what happened in high school but I’m a grunge holding girlie and am still bitter in regards to certain persons 😂🙅🏼‍♀️

A little bit of suspended belief is to be used for the meet cute/rekindling of relationship!

The amount of time the word enforcer comes up…. It should be a drinking game.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Forever for this free ALC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this romance, the first one I've read by author Kelley Armstrong. I'm also pretty sure it was my first ever hockey romance!

Professor and romance writer Gemma Stanton encounters hockey star Mason Moretti on a TV show because the hero of Gemma's latest novel bears a striking resemblance to Mason. And although they don't know each other as adults, they go way back - all the way back to kindergarten in fact. Not only were there some childhood crushes, there was a high school kiss followed by hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and lasting emotional wounds. But when Gemma and Mason realize they could both benefit from letting the public think they're an item, they decide to go on a date for the good publicity, and the story unfolds from there!

This book includes:
- Fake dating
- Childhood friends
- Second chance romance
- Dual POV
- Mid-30s MCs
- Book within a book
- Jewish-Italian rep (MMC)
- Indigenous rep (side character)
- Nonbinary rep (side character)
- Some miscommunication

I liked the main characters, the side characters (especially the grandmas), the characters' interactions, the emotional depth of the story, and the personal growth in both main characters. Although there was a bit of miscommunication, I felt like it didn't cross the line and served the story well.

Some of the banter scenes, full of accidental puns and double entendres, had me cackling. Lately I'm realizing how much I enjoy these types of scenes. The ones in this book reminded me of some of the pickleball lessons in Kate Spencer's latest novel, which I also loved. And thanks to the book within a book, there were several meta nods to romance tropes and romance books in general, which was a fun element as well.

I thought the audio was very well done, with duet narration by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins. There were also a few sound effects like phone dings when the characters were texting.

This a great romance read and I'm so glad I had the chance to listen!

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors so I’ll read anything she writes. I loved Finding Mr. Write last year and am so excited that we got Gemma’s story!
This is a fun second-chance romance between debut author, Gemma and pro hockey player, Mason who were childhood friends until they had a falling out during high school. Now twenty years later, Gemma is convinced she needs an alpha male hero to sell her book so she decides to write the perfect Mr. Wrong who just so happens to be based on her first crush. She’s certain no one will notice the similarities but when they do, Mason suggests they fake date to help promote her book. And if it helps improve his image well, that’s just a bonus.

I adored Gemma and Mason, they both felt very realistic and I loved that this was dual POV. Gemma is a divorcee trying to rebuild her confidence and Mason is struggling with the reality of being an aging hockey player. Mason is incredibly charming and comes off as careless but it’s easy to see how much he cares about Gemma and setting things right. He lost her once and refuses to lose her again. His character growth was amazing.
I really liked the flashbacks of their school days while seeing them reconnect as adults. And the best part? They actually know how to communicate 👏🏻

I was lucky enough to both read and listen to this and I can’t recommend the audiobook enough! I LOVED the duet narration by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins. It’s one of my favorite narration styles and both narrators were fantastic and clear. I loved that they voiced their own characters throughout and the “ding” added for texts was a delightful addition.

Highly recommend if you enjoy second-chance romance and if you haven’t read Finding Mr. Write yet, then you should definitely pick that one up as well!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!