More enjoyable than I thought. I found Gemma and Mason refreshing, both individually and as love interests. I liked that they had known each other since childhood and had a fondness for each other. I also like that their characters were in their mid-30s and I felt like they acted like they were in their mid-30s. Even their conflict felt justified and not overboard. I took a star away because some of the writing was a little reptitive and sometimes didn't fit the tone of a moment. Like how many times can "cock" be said in one page, especially describing the exact same moment. I understood what was happening the first time! But; overall fun, easy, refreshing romance with great narrating by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the arc.

Love on Ice and Finding Your Voice: A Canadian Romance Worth the Listen


I picked up Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong with a certain set of expectations. Having read her Otherworld series—packed with paranormal elements and some truly memorable spicy scenes—I was surprised to find this was a much tamer, contemporary romance. The spice level? Definitely fade-to-black, which felt a little unexpected coming from Armstrong. That said, what the book lacked in heat, it made up for in emotional growth and a genuinely satisfying character arc.

The story follows Gemma, a newly divorced romance writer who’s trying to find her footing—personally and professionally. Her first manuscript, full of the kind of romance she actually likes, went nowhere. So, nudged by her writing group, she shifts gears and writes a more popular “Alpha Asshat” hero—loosely inspired by her high school crush, now turned professional hockey player, Mason Moretti. Things get complicated fast when her muse is accidentally revealed live on air… right in front of Mason. Cue the fake dating scenario with the man who once broke her heart.

As a Canadian reader, I really appreciated that the novel is set in Canada. It’s always refreshing to see familiar cultural details woven into a romance, and Armstrong does it effortlessly. But what really stood out to me was how well the characters evolved over the course of the book.

Gemma’s journey is about rediscovery. Her ex-husband had chipped away at her confidence—criticizing her choices, her appearance, even pressuring her to give up her motorcycle. Over the course of the novel, she reclaims the parts of herself that had been pushed down: her voice, her passions, and her sense of self. Watching her grow more confident and unapologetic was one of my favorite elements.

Mason’s growth is more about unlearning old habits and learning how to communicate. In high school, instead of being honest about his feelings or goals, he let things fizzle out with Gemma. Even years later, he still falls into that habit of assuming instead of asking—like planning a date around what he thinks women typically like, without stopping to consider Gemma might not fit into that mold. Thankfully, both he and Gemma confront these issues and work through them in a realistic, emotionally satisfying way.

But the real highlight of this reading experience? The audiobook. I’d rate the book itself around 3.25 stars, but the audiobook is a full 5-star experience. I usually steer clear of dual POV narration because I cannot stand when narrators attempt to imitate each other’s voices during dialogue. This production avoided that entirely, and it made a world of difference. Even in a Gemma-narrated chapter, if Mason had dialogue, his narrator read the lines—and vice versa. It was seamless and immersive, and it didn’t pull me out of the story at all. On top of that, the subtle sound effects—like the soft dings of incoming text messages—added just the right touch of realism without being distracting. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite audiobook experiences to date.

So, while Writing Mr. Wrong might not have delivered the heat I expected, it offered a thoughtful and heartwarming story about second chances, self-discovery, and doing the hard work to become better—for yourself and the person you care about. And if you’re planning to pick it up, I highly recommend the audiobook version. It truly brings the story to life.

This was a fun take on a second chance romance! I love a hockey romance and I love a book-ish romance so this was a nice combo of the two. It was a quick summer read.

I wasn't a huge fan of either MCs and the romance felt a little forced, but the plot kept me intrigued until the end.

My Ratings:
🧍🏽‍♀️ 2/5 Characters
🌶️ 2.5/5 Spice
🎬 3/5 Ending
🧩 3/5 Plot
💫 3/5 Overall

I'm not always a fan of dual narration but this audiobook was performed beautifully.

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Forever, and Kelley Armstrong for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Hockey romance fans- this is for you!
Fans of books about romance authors-- this is for you!!
Childhood friends to second chance/later in life lovers lovers--- this is for you!

I ate this up. I absolutely loved it enough to go back and read Finding Mr. Write- these are interconnected standalones but I simply want more of this world.

Narration was TOP NOTCH. Dual narration within the dialogue. Really enjoyed.

This was my first time reading a book from Kelley Armstrong. This was definitely a quick read. Which I find enjoyable especially after reading a heavy book.

Gemma Stanton has dealt with a few blows over the years. Her crush from primary school days said he kissed her on a dare and the hurst has stayed with her. After her divorce she writes a book with male lead character that is kind, caring and all the things a girl could want. Unfortunately, this book did not sell. Her publisher said she needed to write a book with a not so dreamy male. So, she writes a book based on her primary crush Mason. She even describes him to the cover artist thinking no one would recognize the famous hockey player. The pair gets thrown together in an interview and from there a plan to help her sell lots of books by being seen with Mason in public.

This is an easy and fun romance around a romance author and a hockey player.

Childhood friends to hate to love (the hate is one sided) is such a fun dynamic and I loved the idea of Gemma drawing inspiration from Mason (her childhood crush) to write the hero in her book who is an asshole.

Then we have Mason who is struggling with his public image so when they're both invited to a talk show to discuss the book and how Mason is the hero in Gemma's story, he jumps at the chance to rekindle their connection as the crush was mutual. Both their publicists think it's a good idea to fake date to improve Mason's image and Gemma's book sales so it's a win-win, right?

We get plenty or cute moments but also the confrontation that needs to happen for the both of them to move on and finally give their connection a chance to be something more.

I really liked Gemma. She doesn't put up with Mason's shit and calls him out on it. She was also still getting past her insecurities regarding her broken marriage and healing from her ex-husband's controlling and manipulative behaviour towards her.

On the other hand, Mason is mostly oblivious and careless, which I wasn't much of a fan of, but since it felt like harmless and he was determined to change his way, it made for good character growth. His struggle with aging and what it meant for his future in hockey also played a big part in the story. He was definitely a flawed MMC but his insecurities and determination to be better made him an endearing character, easy to root for.

The audiobook as super fun, I loved the narrators and the duet worked really well. They conveyed the character's chemistry perfectly.

Perfect summer read!

I wanted to love this but it fell really flat for me, nothing about the characters or the plotline stood out. If it wasnt an audio book I would have DNFed

4 🌟
Spice: open door
Format: ALC

I actually really enjoyed this one, and it was 3rd person so that's saying something 😅 It's also duet narration so it made it much more bearable. I loved these characters, I'm definitely enjoying all these older MCs. This has a sort of second chance element with a it's always been her vibe. I liked that Mason didn't bullshit about what happened in high school and was self aware of his problems to work on them. Gemma is a doll, she persevered no matter what.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the alc in exchange for an honest review.

Writing Mr. Wrong has now topped my best book of 2025 list!!! Yaaasss you do need to reed/listen to this one. Such a fun romcom with all the tropes to die for… Hot Sexy self absorbed yet genuinely nice guy Mason who is thrilled to find out his ultimate childhood crush wrote a romance novel about him just wow what a thrill, and hey maybe he could convince her to give him a shot for real hmmm… Only Gemma didn’t exactly write a romance novel based on Mason. Well Gemma did but not in the way he imagined Mason was the heartbreaker of Gemma’s youth and she pours all that and more into his not so flattering Alpha male character. But as a set up by a tv host has them at an impromptu tv reunion has old sparks reigniting can a fake dating scenario meant to promote her book get them moving past old wounds? Witty banter in spades and a slow burn second chance romance for the ages had me listening to this book in one sitting. And when Mason finally reads the book he is left reeling he has to make this right and win Gemma’s heart. This leads to the most hilarious proposal I think ever seen and the bumps in the road are hilarious.
With real deep personal character growth on both sides and truly one of the best redemption love story arc’s I have read in ages I can’t say enough about this one. I laughed so hard and I even wanted to throw my phone briefly maybe a time or two. I absolutely loved this so much! It was so fun and exactly what I was hoping for. Patricia Santomasso, and Sean Patrick Hopkins were perfect as Gemma and Mason and truly add depth and real life like qualities to these characters. I also deeply appreciate how they communicated with each other even when it was hard, because yes there are always going to be miscommunications in romance, but their growth in being able to express themselves and move past old wounds made for some really touching moments. The writing was totally on point dealing with past trauma, self doubt, and the pressures you let others put on you and those you put on yourself. Get this both delightful and funny book you can thank me later.

Story: 3⭐️
Narration: 5 ⭐️

First off the narrators did a great job as Gemma and Mason! As for the story, I normally am not a fan of the Second Chance romance trope but I actually liked it here and I'm a sucker for a Fake Dating trope. However, the miscommunication between the main characters got to be frustrating.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC

Story 4 1/2 ⭐️
Narration 5 ⭐️

I loved this so much, it was fun and exactly what I was hoping for. Patricia Santomasso, and Sean Patrick Hopkins were perfect as Gemma and Mason, former childhood friends who get a second chance at being together. I loved how they communicated with each other, because yes there are always going to be miscommunications in romance, but their growth in being able to express themselves and past hurts made for some really great moments. The writing was so well done on dealing with past trauma, self doubt, and the pressures you put on yourself. This was my first book by this author, and now I need to go read all of her other books.

Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong
🎧 #WritingMrWrong #NetGalley #HachetteAudio
💘 Second-Chance Romance | 🏒 Ex–High School Crush | 📚 Author x Athlete | 🫣 Fake Dating | 🌶️ Mild Spice
This one was such a fun ride! A second-chance romance wrapped in wit, healing, and a healthy dose of hockey charm.
Mason Moretti may have been the heartbreaker of Gemma's youth, but now he’s back—older, maybe wiser, and definitely still hot—and he’s determined to rewrite their story. What starts as a viral book moment turned fake dating PR stunt slowly turns into something real (with a few smoldering scenes and some stellar banter along the way).
I love that both Gemma and Mason are in their 30s, navigating life, careers, and complicated pasts like actual grown-ups—with gasp communication and emotional growth! It’s sweet, sharp, and surprisingly spicy in a slow-burn, “is this finally happening?” kind of way.
💡Moral of the story? Sometimes your high school mistake turns out to be your grown-up happily ever after. Also, never underestimate the power of writing your ex into a Highlander romance.
Narrated by Patricia Santomasso , Sean Patrick Hopkins who really bring the characters to life and add that special something to the audiobook

I really enjoyed listened to this book - the narration was well done. I loved that it was set in Vancouver featuring an author & pro hockey player who have known each other since they were kids.

This was an adorable second chance romance, fake dating. I adored their getaway, but there was a lot of miscommunication and also just not communicating at all which was frustrating.

I haven't read any of Armstrong's other books but likely will!

Thanks to NetGalley & Hachette Audio for an advance copy!

2.5 stars ⭐️⭐️

The narrators of this book were good and I thought the addition of Nona Jean's restaurant was cute. However, this book felt too slow at the start and rushed towards the end. At first I liked Gemma, but then she kept droning on about how she needed to move on from the one that one time from high school. Then the vacation parts felt random since I never really understood the whole agreement where she was supposed to give Mason from the "jerk to a nice guy" lessons. That part felt childish. All in all, I still think the author has a lot of potential for future stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the audiobook arc.

Romance Author Ice Hockey Player Second Chance Love Story

Kelley Armstrong's second chance, author meets her inspiration, fake dating romance Writing Mr. Wrong is a quick and easy listen (or read) for people who were expecting more from Celebrity Crush. The audiobook is narrated by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins.

Gemma, debut author and college teacher, wishes the earth would swallow her whole when her High School frenemy makes her meet Ice Hockey Player Mason, the inspiration for her novel's dark and broody male main character, on live television. Mason, with whom she went to school and who she has not talked to since that kiss just before graduation.. But since Gemma's budding career could do with some publicity and Mason's in a different sort of image crisis, they agree to fake date, just once..

I listened to the audiobook, which attempted something new to me: having the narrators always read their character's lines, even in the other POV chapters. Initially, it was very strange and I found Mason's lines quite creepy, but as the book progressed and I got used to it, this got better. I actually quite enjoyed it by the end. The weird thing were the text message alerts, which were superfluous and made me check my phone for messages..
The audiobook clocks in at just under 9 hours and apart from mentioned creepiness, the narrators are very pleasant and engaging, making the listening experience much more enjoyable than the novel itself may warrant.
The novel itself does a few things better than Celebrity Crush did: it focuses more on the shared past backstory, which gave the plot a lot more depth and there was almost no social media mention, which was much more pleasant and meant that the characters had to do more face-to-face interacting and learning about each other.
My favourite characters were the grandmothers, special shout out to Grandma Dot, who really made me listen beyond the halfway mark!

There is some spice, mention of fertility issues and some very creepy male horniness that was really uncomfortable to witness / listen to.

While Writing Mr. Wrong does a lot more right than wrong, I am still waiting for the romance novel that gets the Author Meets Inspiration trope right. But it is miles closer than Celebrity Crush, so if you enjoyed that (or found it lacking), give this one a shot! It's not just for the sports fans out there..

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC.

This was a phenomenal audiobook!! I loved the plot of this book. This is my first time reading a book by Kelly and it definitely won’t be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style. The narrators did such an amazing job with this book

ARC review of the audiobook.

This book was so good! Gemma is an author who bases the a**hole male main character in her debut romance novel on her high school crush, Mason. Mason is now a famous hockey player on their hometown NHL team. When people notice the resemblance between her character and Mason, they’re brought back together after 20 year of not speaking. They then start fake dating to help create publicity for her book.

I adore these characters. They’re both very relatable and it was enjoyable to see them handle their real life problems while trying to figure out where they stood with each other.

I also appreciated how this author handled some fertility issues in this book. A lot of times an author will just mention “fertility doctor appointments” and then move on like it’s something that you just move past. I appreciated how it was handled in this book.

The audiobook was fantastic too. It’s a duet (which I think is the only way to go) and the narrators did great. They really brought the characters and the world to life for me. I didn’t want to stop listening to go to sleep and go to work.

Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC. 🖤

WOW!!!!
Adult rom com here you read!
I thought this would be a little continued story from the other romcom from Kelley....
However, I was proven wrong....and brand new storyline, new players in the book.....
I could not stop listening to this one (received a copy of the audio book)....I will be reading this when it comes out on shelves just to take it all in again.
You want a little bit of romance, love, women strength, hot guy, sex, fantasy lust.............then this is what you are looking for.......

Writing Mr. Wrong was super cute! I liked the history between Gemma and Mason and loved when they finally admitted having feelings for each other all along.
The duet narration was great! These narrators were perfect and really brought the story to life.

Book: 3.5 stars. Audio production: 4.5 stars.

Most romance novels are 3 or 3,5 stars from me, which means solidly enjoyable. A good book worth my time.

This second-chance romance was a quality entry in the genre, though not uniquely memorable.

I did have one terrific laugh-out-loud moment: When the MMC was confused by the romance novel the FMC had written. Certainly this jerky guy can’t be the love interest? Romance fans will love the meta commentary on the genre.

The narrators are terrific. Duet narration is the top-tier format, so we never have to hear men putting on high-pitched girly voices or female narrators affecting a baritone. But of particular note was how the female narrator did the mother and grandmother voices. A pet peeve of mine is that frequently in romance audiobooks, the main characters’ parents can be 40s-60s but sound inappropriately elderly. Kudos to the FMC’s mom having no quaver in her voice. There are two grandmothers, and the narrator creates distinct voices for each, rather than just generic “old lady voice.” Male narrator is also very good.