5 stars

I don't know if I can even explain why I liked this book so much, I just really loved it! But let me try...I laughed a kicked me feet a lot, I loved how joyful Mason's confidence felt so it never came off as douchey, I found Gemma to be completely relatable, she was kind without being a doormat. Somehow despite his complete obliviousness, I really loved Mason. It's like his oblivious nature came from trying too hard and it was cute while also being a tad frustrating. When they both acted like children in a tough moment, I am so glad they realized it in the moment and changed their behavior before it went too far. And my god the second chance of it all HIT for me. Mason being a complete dummy in many ways yet never doubting he has been in love with the same girl since kindergarten, yessssss. Never afraid of a double (or septuple) text either which I GREATLY appreciate. And why did the epilogue conversation make me cry? I was just so happy for their future! All that to say, I truly loved it. I remember enjoying the first book but this one was on another level imo.

The narrators were also so good that I didn't even realize it was in duet (I actually have come to dislike duet because the quick changes between narrators always feels abrupt and like they are not in the same room but this one felt more natural that I actually didn't even notice it). That's a huge shoutout to both the talent and the production/editing. Fantastic job!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC!

I LOVED this book. Like, squealing, kicking my legs, constantly covering up my wide smiles—loved it.

Expect 👉🏼 Hockey Player/Romance Author, Secondish Chance, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, Slow Burn, Spicy Ocean Time

When Gemma reluctantly agrees to go on a talk show to talk about her new romance novel, she has no idea she is about to be ambushed by her high school crush. Who she may or may not have based the main character of her book on 👀. He’s currently got a bad rap and she could use some more attention on her new book. So when the talk show has them trending… maybe hanging out together for the cameras could help them both out. Even if that proximity immediately stirs up old feelings.

Giddy. I’m giddy. This book was so good. I started it this afternoon and finishing it this afternoon. Yep. You read that right. LOVED IT. It’s such a feel-good book. I was smiling so hard I’m sure people thought there was something wrong with me and I don’t even care. I’m still smiling.

🎧The audio was beautifully narrated in DUET by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins.

Thank you Hachette audio for the gifted alc!

this was a cute and enjoyable read. I listened to the audiobook (it's a duet narration!) in two sittings and even tho the story is entertaining and very fast paced it left me wanting a bit more. the romance part of the story felt a bit rushed while the personal growth of the two main characters (especially the FMC) was very well executed and left me satisfied. overall a good book perfect for a quick summery read.

thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook.

Genuinely this book blew me away! This was my first book by Kelley Armstrong and I didn't have any expectations. The romance was sweet, and while pretty low stakes delivered in all the right places. I love a mutual healing story arc in a second chance romance and this book does it well.

I really enjoyed Gemma as a character, she felt very real and I appreciated her emotional intelligence. Mason was sweet and while there were many points in this book where he made uniformed choices he was self aware which made me extremely likable. While he is a hockey player, that is not the center of this story, however I did appreciate the scenes when Gemma and her grandma attended his games or when it came up in the context of his behavior.

The audiobook production on this one was out of this world! I listened to this in one sitting. The duet narration and overall production with sound effects made this one of the most engaging and exciting audiobooks I've had the chance to listen to!

Honestly, this was...ok? I am very much captivated by the premise of the book. Due to some snoopy ghosts of the high school's past, the world knew that writer Gemma's high school crush-turned-the-one-that-got-away, Mason, was the inspiration for the hero of her latest romance novel. To boost their images, Gemma and Mason agreed to have public appearances that led to something deeper. The plot was simple with so much potential! And yet most of it was left untapped...

And yet, I felt like the execution lacked spark and luster. I found the writing style to be a bit...infodump-y at times, especially at parts where I would like to <i>see</i> relevant developments and backstories unfold instead of just being fed awkwardly. I had a hard time getting into the characters' voices because most of the things they did or the feelings they felt were just thrown out there with little depth. I also wasn't sure what to feel about that ending.

Overall, a fun book to kill some time with, but I was left wondering, feeling like there was so much more it could have offered with a little editing.

As for the audiobook: The narration and production were excellently done, but I'm not sure those voices were the best fit for the characters! The female voice was very raspy at times, and I expected someone with a livelier voice for Gemma. Honestly, there were parts where I felt sleepy listening to Gemma's parts! I also didn't feel any chemistry between the female and male voices, which I think is a crucial part, especially with dual narration.

3 stars!

Read: June 14th - June 18th
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 star

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

My only experience with Kelley Armstrong is the Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising series (think I got those names right, but the YA Paranormal/Fantasy ones), so I was curious to go into an adult romance that's from her over a decade later.

And this hit so many places for me 👌🏼 I loved Gemma and the way she refused to take crap, and the way she called out some of the, uh, problematic aspects of romance books. But even being all tough and stuff, she was still vulnerable and kind.

I also really liked Mason and how he managed to be a jerk without being heartless. The whole approach of him more being careless really hit for me, probably because I have a sibling who is similar, so it's nice just seeing acknowledgement that people can still be jerks while still having a good heart. Just, ya know... A lack of awareness 🤣 It was also nice seeing him come to terms and growing.

There was just so much nice character stuff in this book, from how people broke away pieces from each of them, and how the relationship in the end wasn't a pretty pink bow on top with Gemma still having realistic fears (excluding epilogue here).

I just felt, although the Mason growing plotline was great, it fell a bit short. Learning to love him as him and not just pieces of him was great and a good message, but he didn't have to outright change to simply become more aware, and that needed a bit more added to it, I think, hence 4 stars instead of 5.

Really loved this, though, and honestly, I'd love getting another book with a Jesse focus 🤭

This story is told in dual POV and both narrators did an excellent job telling the story. I enjoyed each narrator voicing their character when it wasn't their POV and the dings to let you know when text messages were coming in.

The characters and storyline had more depth and heart than I was expecting, but I enjoyed every bit of it. The author did a wonderful job creating her characters and I could feel the chemistry between the two.

The story is low spice, which is what I prefer. Not quite closed door.

This story does have mentions of infertility and verbal abuse.

Thank you Hacehette Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.

Gemma’s first book just came out and it turns out she may have based the not so nice lead male character of her childhood crush who ended up really hurting her. Said crush happens to be a Mason, who is a famous hockey player now and he finds out about the book (during a talk show appearance with Gemma) and assumes that means she’s forgiven him for what he did in high school. Their talk show conversation goes viral and everyone wants them to date. Mason has an image problem and fake dating would be a great promotion for Gemma’s new book so the two decide to try it. Mason realizes how he’s messed up in the past and wants to be a better man, can he be the kind of guy Gemma wants to write about in her next romance (and maybe the guy she wants to start in her real life too)?

I really liked the author’s other novel which I read last year, Finding Mr. Write and this gave me the same kind of feels. It’s funny how some books just work for your tastes and what you are looking for at that moment and this one did - it was fun and cute and I couldn’t put it down. I listened to it on the subway going to a literary luncheon yesterday (narrators were great) and then really enjoyed reading it on the train out of the city. It’s funny how sometimes silliness in books bothers me and sometimes if I’m invested enough, I am just along for the ride. This one had me invested and even though there were not many ancillary characters (although Gemma’s grandmother was a trip), I liked the two main characters so that they were enough for me. What a fun beach read (probably more fun on a beach than on the NYC subway).

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I really loved this especially the last 10% were so good. The storyline progressed to naturally and at a perfect speed which made it so believable. I loved their dynamic, they were just perfect for each other.
I know that it was kind of the point but his obnoxiousness bothered me a lot at times. Hockey players and writers are some of my favorite characters in books and I loved that they were put together in here🫶.
I also really loved the Narrators, their voices represented the Characters so good.

I was absolutely blown away by this second chance hockey romance. Mason and Jemma are total opposites, but are still able to understand one another in such a beautiful way. The audio book had duet style narration which really added to the flow of the story. The two narrators emotions match and paired well in all the scenes they were together. There was also an added ding for whenever the characters were sending or receiving multiple text messages at a time and it added an authentic quality to the story. I absolutely loved this book and plan to read more from the author!

This was a fun read. Sometimes you don’t get a happily ever after so what happens when it all ends? In this you follow Mason and Gemma as they explore life and discuss their feelings and emotions. They balance each other so well in my opinion and as someone who is closing in on turning 30 this book gave me comfort that a lot of people feel time slipping their fingers. I definitely enjoyed the dual pov and the narrators did amazing!

Gemma’s written plenty of happily-ever-afters, but her own love life? It’s been full of heartbreak—three miscarriages, a failed marriage, and a mountain of self-doubt. So when her high school crush (and the inspiration behind her book’s dreamy hero) shows up on live TV as part of a humiliating publicity stunt, it’s the last thing she needs.

Especially because Mason—the man who kissed her in high school and then told everyone it was just a dare—doesn’t seem to want to walk away this time. In fact, he wants to make things right.

Mason isn’t grumpy—he’s all in. So all in that he sometimes says or does the wrong thing trying to fix the past. But what makes this romance shine isn’t just the slow burn or the fake relationship setup—it’s the honest conversations. These two talk. About the pain. The past. What they need. And as Mason gently breaks down Gemma’s walls, what forms between them feels real.

Kelley Armstrong delivers a beautiful, emotionally layered second-chance romance with plenty of heart. The dual narrators in the audiobook bring Gemma and Mason’s story to life with warmth and depth, making every vulnerable moment, flirty line, and painful memory hit just right.

🎧 Audiobook Highlights:
• Dual narration that enhances emotional connection
• Beautifully handled themes of loss and self-worth
• Emotional growth through raw, honest conversations

This book follows Gemma, a romance writer and recent divorcee. She has based her most recent books’ toxic MMC off of her old high-school fling (turned pro hockey player), Mason, who has earned a reputation for being a womanizer. They end up reuniting and things get messy from there.

This was a good audiobook. I was happily surprised to find out that this book was a duet narration style! The two narrators both did fantastic jobs portraying the characters and didn’t leave anything to be desired.

Overall, I enjoyed the writing of the two characters. The author made them flawed and believable. The communication between the two MC’s was a huge green flag for me, as I’m not super fond of a miscommunication trope. I did find that the main conflict of the story didn’t build to a big enough peak for me, and therefore the wrap-up wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been. Otherwise, I was pleased with the book.

If you are a fan of the second-chance and fake dating tropes, you may want to pick this one up!

3.5 ⭐️

*I received this book as an ALC from NetGalley and Hachette Audio in exchange for my honest review.*

Gemma is newly divorced and chasing her dream of being an author. But when she writes a book loosely based on none other than her high school crush turned pro hockey star, Mason, things start to spiral. Things heat up when a cringey TV reunion goes viral and the two agree to fake date for the cameras… but the chemistry might just be real.

The book has all the tropes I love:
🏒 Sports Romance
💘 Fake Dating
🔥 Enemies To Lovers
💫 Second Chance Romance

Kelley Armstrong nails the tension and chemistry, jumping between present day and high school flashbacks that build the perfect slow burn.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely recommend it—the dual narration by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins was chef’s kiss.

If you’re looking for a romance that’s clever, tropey in the best way, and just plain fun—this one’s for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kelly Armstrong for the ARC and ALC!

Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 (this had great character depth!)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I think, I might be off)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in, 3% (chapter 2)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later

Should I read in order?
I believe this stands alone?

Basic plot:
Gemma and Mason meet again on a TV morning show and soon stage a fake date for some positive PR for both of them.

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- historical romance author heroine
- hockey player hero
- childhood friends to lovers
- second chance-ish – mutual crushes in high school
- fake romance-ish – things start as a PR stunt
- size difference – I think he’s quite a bit taller
- celibate heroine – it’s been a couple years for her
- pretty strong consent
- lower steam – I might be off on this, but I think there’s only 1 full scene here? There’s some partials and alluded to scenes...

Ages:
- hero is 36, I didn’t catch heroine but they went to school together so something similar
My thoughts:
I liked a lot about this one – and I think those that tire or were never drawn to some of the stereotypical romance issues (especially featured in older romance) will really love this. It features heavily on consent and respect and really shows the growth of our hero.

I liked the character development in this one and the focus on getting to know our mains. But my issues were that I was just kind of bored. There wasn’t a lot of angst between them, and the focus was on teaching him to not be a selfish jerk and respecting her and while I really love that for people that want that focus in their romance, I tend to want those more toxic qualities instead 😆 . I was also a bit disappointed in the steam. I don’t think we even got any penetration??? Or I missed it lol….I could have missed it, my note taking was not as good for that, but I do think there were the start to a few scenes I got excited for and then they fizzled to almost nothing.

As for the narration, I really enjoyed both narrators. The duet narration is so good and just is so much more immersive and realistic to me than single narration or dual. I loved both voices and think they did great! Zero issues with the narration and I’d definitely be eager to listen to either of them again

👏🏻 📖 What a pleasant surprise 📖👏🏻
I was hooked from the very first chapter. While it follows the familiar beats of a sports romance 🏒 💘 complete with second chances 🔁 and a fake dating trope 🎭 it still felt fresh and engaging. The chemistry between the main characters was palpable, made even more compelling by the excellent narration 🎧👏🏻. The narrators brought real depth and emotion to their roles, making it effortless to connect with the story. I especially appreciated that the miscommunication trope 😬 (often overused in romance) was handled quickly and thoughtfully. It was resolved by the next chapter without unnecessary drama. Overall, a wonderfully executed romance that kept me invested from start to finish. 💖📚

Thank you, @NetGalley and @HachetteAudio, for the ALC.
Expected publication June 24, 2025

The perfect lighthearted escape! A quick and fun bingeable romance with grumpy-sunshine vibes.

The grumpy MMC? He's a charming and cocky hockey player who’s secretly been in love with the FMC since kindergarten! (Cue the swooning.) Watching him fumble through a second chance at love was equal parts hilarious and heart-melting.

I also adored that this book is a standalone but still gives little cameos from the couple in the author’s previous book. I love when authors build a shared universe like that—it makes everything feel extra cozy and connected without needing to commit to a series.

Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: June 24, 2025
Format: Audiobook

What I loved:
🩷 It’s meta - I love books about writers. I think because they write the experience so authentically!
🩷 Set in Canada - not groundbreaking but a lot of hockey romances are set in the U.S. and I liked the change of scene!
🩷 So many tropes: hockey, fake dating, second chance, friends to haters to lovers? (The last one is new!)
🩷 The characters are so flawed, in a great way.
🩷 The grandmas

What’s the story?
Gemma Stanton, a romance novelist reeling from a painful divorce, writes an alphahole Romance lead inspired by her high school crush. Only now…he’s an NHL star. He ends up back in her life after a fellow student orchestrates a TV reunion, and they decide to fake date to help Gemma’s book sales and his image rehabilitation.

Characters & Chemistry
Men in romances are often a bit one-dimensional - no depth, no flaws. Not in this book. Mason’s redemption arc is really good - from the moment he realises the character is him to slowly realising when he is getting stuff wrong and choosing to be better. The character development and emotional intelligence is great. Some reviewers have said the pair are in “hurt” more than “hate” so you don’t get enemies to lovers, but honestly I don’t want every book to be the same and think there is a lot of cool unique stuff here (like the redemption arc, which is done really well).

Tone & Writing Style
Light, engaging banter and crisp pacing. It’s a breezy, fun and uplifting read with a lot of heart.

Minor Quibbles
⭕️ The relationship in the mid to end section moves really fast. I’m not convinced there was enough for Gemma to get over her doubts, and Mason suddenly decides to start talking about issues he never would have before. It felt a bit fast in that section.
⭕️ I would’ve loved a bit more development of the side characters, and thought Gemma was missing a sidekick. It bounces around a bit from her mum to her grandma.

⸻

Final Verdict

Writing Mr. Wrong is a charming, feel-good romance, great for summer. I was v excited to listen to the next bit, and am feeling a bit bereft now that I’ve finished it!

Rating: 4 ★ / 5

Always a fan of books about books, Writing Mr. Wrong did not disappoint!

Gemma is divorced fiction writer and she just happens to use her childhood crush as the inspiration for her recent MMC. Gemma thinks there is NO WAY anyone will make the connection. But, in perfect meet cute fashion, she is thrown into a "on air" confrontation with none other than that childhood crush. He happens to be all grown up, and one HOT hockey player.

This book is swoony and full of fun banter and is a really easy read. Light and dare I say fluffly... it's a perfect book to read by the pool.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC of this, the duo narrating knocked it out of the park.

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

I was pleasantly surprised by this fade to black/closed door romance. I loved how the story unfolds between two old friends, Gemma and Mason, who reconnect after almost two decades apart. Gemma is an author who uses Mason’s likeness to inspire the hero of her debut novel. Mason is a well known hockey star who needs to work on his image. They bump into each other on the local morning show, which ends up being a hit. Their story continues as they navigate old baggage and new issues as they both try to boost their public images with a fake relationship.

Both characters were relatable and easy to cheer on. The narrators did a great job portraying both emotion and passion through their performances. This pulled me into their struggles and lives. It was a great audiobook that I would recommend to friends.