A L C • R E V I E W ✨
Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong
Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins
Publication Date: June 24, 2025

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook, the narrators were great. The fact that is was dual POV made it every better. 🤗

It was a cute, funny rom-com which made it easy to stay focused and interested. I loved the characters both Gemma and Mason and how the whole story played out.

It starts with Gemma who is a writer who comes out with a book and the MMC is described as Mason her high school crush who is now a pro-hockey player. Let’s just say it’s a good book I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but this is a MUST-READ if you want to have a cute, fluffy, good time!

Tropes: childhood love, second chance, fake dating, enemies to lovers

Thank you NetGalley and Kelley Armstrong for sending me an ALC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 stars rounded up!

I had recently been introduced to Kelley Armstrongs writing in a Romantasy anthology and was really excited to see what her contemporary romances were like. I loved this cute story about second chance love stories and new starts in your 30s.

I loved the romance between Gemma and Mason, they were so cute together and really seemed to learn from how they had hurt each other in the past. I liked the flash backs to their time in high school, it really helped to understand their bond.

There were also some funny moments, like mason slowly realising he is the jerk in Gemma’s novel as he listens to the audio book and the couple trying to commandeer a boat.

I love a dual narrator audio book and it was one of the main things that drew me to this one. I particularly liked that the co-narrator would do the male voices in Gemma’s POV and vice versa to give the experience a movie like feel. Every character had a distinct voice and the narration pulled me into the story and kept me there.

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

This was a solid, quick read with a fun premise, but it didn’t quite hit all the marks for me. I enjoyed the writing style—it’s easy to follow and flows well. The concept of a writer being haunted by her fictional ex and tangled in her own story had so much potential, and parts of it were definitely entertaining and original.

That said, the characters didn’t feel fully fleshed out, and I struggled to connect emotionally with the romance. Some of the plot points felt a bit rushed or underdeveloped, and I was left wanting more depth and tension. It also leaned a little more into the quirky than I personally prefer, though fans of light paranormal romcoms might really enjoy that vibe.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad read—it had charm and creativity—but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. A fun, fast read if you’re looking for something light and a little out of the box.

Meh. Didn’t love that it was in third person but that’s personal opinion, the characters were acting like they were still in high school sometimes. The fact that she was holding onto something that happened 20 years prior against him when he apologized also made me not like it

TW: Miscarriage/Infertility

Gemma writes her MMC as an asshole based on the Mason of her past. Mason hanging out with her made him bring up past feelings for her and realizes he was an ass. He asks her for asshole reform lessons and that got me! His guilty inner monologues and being an old man (36 lol) was so sad to hear. Pretty low angst and their relationship trajectory was good. Love the conversations around just being themselves even when they were younger.

First time author for me!

Audiobook narrators: Patricia Santomasso, Sean Patrick Hopkins
Dual POV, Third Person, DUET NARRATION
Tropes: Hockey star MMC, Author FMC, ex-childhood friends, High School Crush, Dyslexia Representation, Reformed playboy
Spice: 1/5

Listened at 1.75x speed.
I usually prefer first person POV however the duet narration made it much better.
I love Patricia Santomasso's sarcastic delivery and fit Gemma very well. I also enjoyed Sean Patrick Hopkins voice! There was also texting sound effects, that was cool.

Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for providing an ALC.

This is the second book in Armstrong's romance series, following "Finding Mr. Write." It centres on Gemma, a romance writer who, after a divorce, crafts a story based on her high school ex, now a hockey star. The novel is noted for its witty banter and engaging storyline, making it a delightful read for romance enthusiasts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook 👂
The narrators were amazing -great voices.
The story was cute and funny. The 36 year old characters had great banter and chemistry (and we love having characters that are in their 30s or over).
The characters had depths and wounds they were working on healing and a nice growth (healing) arc.

But yes, it's another hockey romance with a playboy and a petite woman.
Maybe it's cliché or very on trend but it works. I've never watched hockey in my life but somehow have listened to a couple of hockey romances (I don't check all the blurbs and go off of vibes 😂).

I listened in one go so I guess I was truly a good and nicely written romcom!


STORY: Gemma has finally published her first romance novel. She is invited by the host of a show she used to go to high school to and... is ambushed by the mean former cheerleader.
Did Gemma write a romance novel based off of her childhood friend and high school crush now pro hockey player? Because the guy on the cover looks to be highly inspired by him...
Obviously, said hockey player was invited on the show. He ends up saving her from the get up and interviewing her.
Mason offers Gemma to go on a fake date PR stunt to help her with her book.


TROPES: second chance, childhood love, pro hockey player + romance novelist/teacher, player & divorcée, neuro-atypical representation.


RATING OVERVIEW:
Story: 3,5/5
Characters: 3,8/5
Romance: 3,8/5
Spice: a little bit of spice
Narrators: 5/5


[Review up on Goodreads + Fable. Will be rewied on TikTok & Threads as well]

I really loved this book! The main character was a romance author and she often commented on the common tropes. The story had none of the ridiculous drama that can come with romances like this. I hope the author writes more books like this, I will definitely read them!

“Writing Mr. Wrong” by Kelley Armstrong

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I love Kelley Armstrong romcoms!!! the first I read of hers, Finding Mr. Write, was such a favorite I was ecstatic to get an ARC and finished copy from @readforeverpub !

this was such a fun story! I loved Gemma and her pov throughout the entire book. she’s authentic and kind, always trying her best to be there for others while also standing up for herself. I loved the way she explained things to Mason, and others, about how they’ve not always been kind, and still finds the patience and grace to help them fix their actions.

Mason intentionally (imo) took a bit to warm up to. he comes across very charming and “aw shucks, nice guy” but his indifference, ignorance, and/or lack of accountability over the years has manifested into not always being the kindest (even if unintentionally), and he finds this so devastating he truly want to make it better, to fix his lack of awareness. to finally get his chance with Gemma. he knows she can’t be charmed out of the past hurt caused so he try’s to make it better now. truly the best way to handle past actions is honestly trying to learn and do better in the future, and that’s exactly what Mason does. in doing so Mason and Gemma ignite their spark into such a beautiful, tender romance.

I love how both Mason and Gemma so clearly better the other: Mason helps Gemma overcome some personal and professional roadblocks, and Gemma helps Mason be a more intentional person. and the whole premise of her using him as inspiration for her book was unique and so fun to read!

as always, I love the writing and pacing of Armstrong’s books, I love the depth and imperfections of the characters as it makes them so authentic, and I love the true kindness and love that is at the core of this story. 🥹🩷

thank you so much for the ARC and finished copy @readforeverpub! and thank you @hachetteaudio for the audiobook! the narration and production was perfect for this story! I was so captured to the story bc of how well it was made!

What a cute book! The plot and characters are both enjoyable, the history is laid out well and though the timeline is pretty quick it’s understandable given the MC’s have known each other and harbored feelings for so long.

Every part of it was very well done and fun, if you’re looking for a cute hockey romance with a semi-closed bedroom door, look no further!

The audio was incredibly well done also, production was excellent and both narrators (Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins) were wonderful. I love the dual narration that newer productions have started doing more lately. Extra props to the male narrator for having a nice voice and no accent, I appreciate you!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever imprint, and Hachette audio for the advanced audio copy, I’m so grateful!

WritingMrWrong by KelleyArmstrong is a 3.8⭐️ read.

Love the way the author covered the topic of dyslexia, being someone with dyslexia I can confirm that my world has opened up drastically since audiobooks have become a way of life. Coming from someone who loves books, however could only mange two of three books at year, and now on average I can read / listen to over 200 books a year thanks to audiobooks. My heart warmed while reading/ listening to this story.

The story itself was well done, a good level of heart and heat, with a character driven plot. Seeing both the FMC and the MMC face their issues, and grow gave a sense of balance to the tension and the emotional parts of the story.

This is a good summer read/ listen for 2025.

Favourite Quote: “He remembered her well enough to know he would lose any fingers that made contact without permission.”

I received an advance copy of the audio book for review. I love all of Kelley Armstrong’s books. I was really excited for this one, but surprised it was the hockey player trope and not sure how much I would like it. I absolutely loved the book. The ending was perfect, and I think my favorite character was Grandma!

2 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

honestly this book was just okay. The characters didn’t really stand out to me and neither did the plot of the book. It was a quick read and was definitely enjoyable but also flat somehow.

I think the narrators Patricia Santomasso & Sean Patrick Hopkins were definitely the reason I keep on reading. Without them I think I would have soft dnf’ed simply because the book was a bit boring.

Writing Mr. Wrong was such a fun, happy and uplifting read. After reading some books with heavy subject matter this book is the perfect palate cleanser to refresh and recharge and will leave a smile on your face.

As someone who has been involved in the hockey world, this was a great fit for me. It combined a sport that I love with a heart happy romance. Gemma is a writer who has just released a romance novel. In her search to write the perfect male lead, she decided to skip the nice guy and go with “Mr. Wrong,” based on her childhood crush, turned professional hockey player who hurt her many years ago. The two have an unexpected and very public reunion which goes viral and has everyone swooning. To garner some publicity for Gemma’s new book, Mason suggests the two go out on a fake date to keep the buzz going.

The characters in this book are messy and relatable. They are so well written with the perfect balance of perfection and flaws. The witty banter had me laughing at times and while I loved Gemma and Mason for so many reasons, I adored Gemma’s grandmother and the woman from the plane (when you get there, you will totally understand!!). Also, Gemma in the airport…bravo!!

This book was simply charming. I listened to the audio version and kudos to the narrators Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins as well as the entire production team for a job well done. This story was brought to life brilliantly and left me with a smile so big that I want to set it on repeat and listen all over again.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC of this book. It was such a delightful and charming listen.

This is an ultra cute second chance romance. Gemma, a new divorcee and romance novelist and Mason a hockey star, have known each other since they were kids. They reunite after Gemma bases her novel on bad boy Mason.

4 stars!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Hachette Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I just received this ARC today and Ive already finished it. This book and audio were both so good and addicting. My biggest criticism of this book is just a personal preference of not liking how aloof and mindless Mason was in the beginning of this book. It was frustrating and showed his selfishness. I did enjoy his progression and found it to very realistic. By the end of this book he was a perfect book boyfriend. I loved Gemmas character. I love that she was smart and pragmatic, and sometimes sassy. I enjoyed that this was something that Mason liked about her. I felt that I identified with Gemma in a lot of ways and it made this book even better for me. Thank you Forever publishing for this ARC!

I absolutely lovedddd Finding Mr Write last year and have forced every romance reader I know to pick it up. That being said I was soooo excited for this one and it fell completely flat.

This book was utterly boring and I really didn’t see the point of it. The characters were extremely immature and stuck in high school. The drama/conflict was so ridiculous. Add in some miscommunication and you get 2 dimensional characters that I just couldn’t care less about.

I also found it extremely unbelievable that anyone would have figured out she was writing about a certain nhl hockey star. It sounded like it was extremely vague and could have taken inspiration from anyone with those personality traits. I also hated that her ex husband continued to call her to talk about her new situationship. They didn’t have kids so there was absolutely no reason for them to be in touch.

Overall I really really really disliked this book and now I’m really really really sad

Another great novel from Kelley Armstrong. I love that she can write multiple genres and still make it a hit!

Gemma hasn’t written in years, but post-divorce, she dove back into writing romance. When her proposal didn’t sell, she became convinced it was because no one wanted her nice-guy heroes and decided to write and absolute Mr. Wrong…based on her first crush, Mason Moretti, now a star hockey player. She’s sure no one will make the connection between her highland laird and an NHL enforcer. Of course, someone does, and her secret is out.

Mason is going through some drama of his own as an aging hockey player, and when his “reunion-cute” with Gemma goes viral, he proposes some media-worthy fake dating to help her book. Which is so sweet and not at all to help solve his own image problem. Gemma reluctantly agrees. Mason convinces Gemma to go away with him so she can finish her overdue second book while giving him anti-asshole lessons. And if he really just wants to get time away with her, that’s not an bad move, right? Or is it?

Wow! This is the first book I've read of Kelley Armstrong's, but click over to her author's website to see her prolific backlist. It looks like she writes all kinds of genres, heavy in mystery, suspense, fantasy, and even horror. There are only two romcoms on there, and Writing Mr. Wrong is one of them. When I requested this audiobook from netgalley I had no idea what a seasoned author I was electing to take on, but it certainly blew me away. Now I've got all those others to add to my TBR.

Reader problems!

So Writing Mr. Wrong is about two mid-thirties kids who once went to school together. They had a will-they-won't-they moment once that still haunts them, because they definitely won't-they'd. A kiss born of genuine friendship and attraction turned into public mockery, and Gemma is still so upset about it post-messy-divorce that she used Mason as the inspiration to pen her debut romance novel that is just releasing. As part of the promo, a local TV show has her on and surprises her with an appearance from now pro hockey star Mason, who strikes an undeniable likeness to the highlander on her cover (by complete coincidence...right?). While the anchor tries to make this a humiliating moment for Gemma, Mason smoothes it all over with ease, and the public is here.for.it. Turns out Gemma's prick of an ex-husband is a huge Mason Moretti fan, so when his PR suggests a harmless night out to fuel some gossip, she agrees.

This book is a masterclass in nuance. Mason has a golden heart, but he's like a clumsy little puppy, doing everything in the exact wrong way despite his good intentions. He leaves a trail of wreckage behind him and can't understand what he's doing wrong. Sometimes he does bad things. Things that hurt people. But he's not a bad person. Gemma knows Mason better than most, having worked with him at the school newspaper once upon a time. She knows he means well, and agrees to help 'coach' him through some of the problematic ideas he's come up with, helping him see how he comes off to others.

I was honestly floored by how good this book was. The premise had the potential to be just another cheesy love story without a terrible amount of depth. Instead, we're let into the intimacies of the relationship between these two imperfect humans and get to see them slowly navigate this meeting of their new selves. It feels natural. It feels authentic. It's a joy to read. They both choose honesty, and that allows them to understand one another deeply, cleanse their pasts, and embrace a new, strong, future.

I really could go on and on about this one, but it is a solid 5 star read, and the reason I hold out and rate the majority of books with 4 stars. That last star means there's something special, and folks, this one has it. The X-factor. The chops of a seasoned author. A delight to read. Thank you Kelley Armstrong. Can't wait to see what else you've got up your sleeves of romance!

I listened to this as an audiobook and both narrators were amazing! Patricia Santomasso had Gemma's sort of cynical tone down wonderfully, and I'm going to keep my eye out for more Sean Patrick Hopkins...it was delightful.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This audiobook had everything I typically look for when it comes to listening experience. Both narrators were great, they had emotion behind their reading and nothing felt overly done. Always a plus when speaking parts are read by the appropriate parties!

Some things I loved:
* Jesse - we love a guy who encourages consent 👏
* He falls first - kindergarten!! 🥺
* Disability rep - Dyslexic MMC who reads audiobooks
* MCs are aged 35+
* A divorcee FMC who takes her power back 🫰🏻
* Grandma Dot 💁‍♀️

This one was a slooooooow burn 🔥 Spice really only started at 80% and even then, it was brief. Not a huge deal, but if you came for smut, I’d say it’s open door, but definitely not plentiful.

I feel like the past between the MCs was fully developed and as a reader, I appreciated that. As for the present… I felt it lacked the same realization as the past. You get glimpses of why the couple works, but it’s really a lot of Mason fumbling the ball (puck?) and Gemma making excuses for him.

Mason wants to learn and grow - somehow self aware but also not - which is what kept me rooting for him. Somewhere along the way, I just feel like the plot got a little lost, and with it, Gemma’s character development took a hit. It was kind of the Mason show and I wanted more from Gemma.

Otherwise, it was a fun, cute read that I blew through in a day. I could see this one being a beach read for this summer!

The Basics:
Professional Hockey Player 🏒 // Teacher/Author ✍️
3rd Person Dual POV - Duet
Standalone
HEA 🤍
🌶️🌶️/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review 🤍🎧