Thank you NetGalley, Hatchette Audio and Kelley Armstrong for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75⭐️ I listened to the audio and really enjoyed that it was a duet.

Gemma is a debut author who publishes a romance with the MMC based on Mason, her HS crush/heartbreak and current professional hockey star. She thinks it’s a subtle thing but an old high school classmate picks up on it and outs the connection on live television.

The clip goes viral and the public loves that Mason comes to her defense and handles the interview with class. Both needing some good PR, they agree to let the “dating” rumors continue.

Throughout it all Mason realizes his playboy lifestyle isn’t what he wants and asks Gemma to help him change his ways.

We learn Gemma has gotten out of a really toxic marriage and some tough topics are brought up (infertility and miscarriages) and while it comes up a few times it isn’t a main topic.

I love a good second chance romance but this was missing the tension and angst I love in those stories.

I did enjoy the personal growth and identifying cycles of behavior that both Gemma and Mason had.

Thank you @netgalley @hachetteus @hachetteaudio for the chance to read/listen to writing Mr.wrong by Kelly Armstrong. This was perfect for summer. This beach has beach vibes and hockey what more could I want in a romance book. Narrated by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins. They did a fantastic job narrating and made the book fun and engaging. Loved the representation of dyslexia and emotional abuse.

Debut romance author Gemma Stanton’s never thought anyone would realise that her bad boy MMC was heavily inspired by her high school crush Mason Moretti. Except Mason is now a famous hockey star and a surprise TV reunion exposes Gemma’s secret inspiration to the public. Mason suggests they fake-date their way through the frenzy to save his image and boost her book. But as sparks fly and fiction starts to feel a lot like fact, Gemma has to decide if this second-chance storyline could be the real deal.

This was a lot of fun and I especially enjoyed the duet style narration which felt much more immersive. I thought the balance between the more serious themes such as Mason’s childhood trauma & lighter, funnier themes was so well done. It gave the characters depth without ever feeling bleak or distressing. I also really enjoyed how both main characters clearly evolved, learned and grew in themselves throughout the book.

The only downside to this book for me was that the end felt very rushed, I would really have liked to have had more time with them once they got together. The ending felt kind of abrupt after so much building towards the couple getting together. But I guess being left wanting more might have been the plan?

Five star read! Fake dating! Second chance hockey romance!

Gemma’s debut novel has just been released, and the man on the cover looks a lot like hockey pro Mason. The two are brought back into each others’ life. Not only does Gemma know Mason, but she had a huge crush on him back in school. She’s reeling from her recent divorce, and is not interest in being hurt again. Mason is an aging professional athlete whose reputation is as a one night only guy. The two agree to pretend to date to bring much needed good publicity to both of them.

This book was a fun read! The connection between the two main characters is undeniable. Each main character has their own flaws, but they are working through them. There is plenty of communication, which I love! Miscommunication is my least favorite trope, and that isn’t an issue here! I also love the main characters being in their thirties. They are both established in their careers and are learning what it truly is they want in the their lives.

I listened to the audiobook. Both narrators were fantastic, and I look forward to listening to them again in the future!

This was fun! This was an interesting take on second chance and the thrust act conflict was nice to see the couple work together! I didn’t love how selfish mason was but I think that’s the point. The narrators were great!

Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for free e-arc and alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I loved book 1 it was an absolute 5 star banger and expected the same energy but it was slower and felt like a completely different book not part of a series. I still super lovednit. The audiobook was absolute perfection.

Definitely recommend giving it a try.

4.5/5☆

ARC Review
📖 Book: 3 stars ⭐️
🎧 Audiobook: 4 stars ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio / Forever for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🏻

Writing Mr. Wrong was a solid listen with a unique premise and a strong audio production. The audiobook stood out to me — the sound effects (like message notifications!) made everything feel more immersive, and the narrators, Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins, brought great energy and emotion to the story. The dual POV in third person was also a pleasant surprise and worked really well — especially since that’s something I often miss in women’s fiction.

As for the story itself, it didn’t fully hook me. I appreciated the setup — a romance author and her former crush fake-dating for publicity — and I liked that the heroine had a bit of sass when needed. There are definitely fun, charming moments and a nice theme of growth and second chances. But overall, I just didn’t connect with the story or characters as deeply as I hoped. It could’ve been my current mood, I found myself zoning out at times.

That said, I truly believe this book has strong potential for other readers, especially those who enjoy second chance romances with a bit of playful banter and a celebrity twist. It just wasn’t a personal favorite — but I’m still glad I gave it a try.

If you enjoy:

🩷Second Chance Romance
🩵Sports Romance (with a retired hockey player)
🩷Dual POV in third person
🩵Fake Dating
🩷Romance author + “bad boy” dynamic
🩵Audiobooks with immersive sound design

Then this one might be for you!

I loved this one. Gemma and Mason were great main characters with believable hang-ups. Their emotional development and the development of their relationship throughout the story was so compelling. It was everything I hope for in a rom-com. There were parts that were laugh-out-loud funny. (Gemma’s and Mason’s grandmothers are comedy gold!) The second-chance romance was heartwarming. I loved that the characters were allowed to make mistakes – especially Mason made some bone-headed mistakes, but I found him endearing anyway. I loved that Gemma never gave him a free pass on anything but always called him out when he was being an a**hole. But she also saw that he was genuinely trying to do better. (I loved his reaction to her portrayal of “him” in her book.) Gemma’s healing journey after her disastrous marriage and divorce was great to see. And while I have absolutely no interest in professional sports in real life, I was really interested in everything that Mason was dealing with regarding his hockey career as well. It was also refreshing to see a rom-com about characters in their mid-thirties (my age!) instead of fresh-faced twenty-somethings.

And of course, I enjoyed the cameos of Chris (Gemma’s brother) and Daphne from Finding Mr. Write. I adored both of these connected rom-com standalones from Kelley Armstrong, and while I haven’t heard anything about her having more rom-coms in the works, I hope she’ll return to the genre again sometime.

The audiobook production was also very well done. The book is dual POV, and there’s a narrator for Gemma (Patricia Santomasso) and a narrator for Mason (Sean Patrick Hopkins), but Hopkins also does all of Mason’s dialogue in Gemma’s chapters, and Santomasso does all of Gemma’s dialogue in Mason’s chapters. This duet narration really enhanced the experience of the banter and conversations between the two main characters. I hope this is a trend that we’re going to keep seeing in more audiobooks, especially in the romance genre. I enjoyed both narrators and how they brought the chemistry between the characters to life from the page to my ears.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for providing a review copy of the audiobook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a great book to listen to on a recent road trip. I laughed throughout the story and found it to be both humorous and entertaining. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Hachette Audio.

This is a second chance romance between a published author and a hockey player who are reunited when a local news person picks up that the unlikable MMC in her book is based off of her high school sweetheart/nemesis. This reunites them and results in PR stunts and a romantic getaway.

Pros: amazing job doing dual narrators intertwined through dual POV. Also pretty slow, so was easy to have sped up.

Cons: I just really didn’t like the characters. Gem could do better. I think the MMC was super unlikable and woah is me for a famous hockey player. There shouldn’t have been a second chance romance (more like 100th chance because how much he always messing up). I also felt like we got no closure with the few side characters (ex, manager, mom, etc).

3.5 stars, enjoyable read with a fairly predictable plot. Narrators were great and definitely made it a fun book to listen to!
Tropes include romance author X hockey player, fake dating, childhood not quite friends to lovers

This book was soooo fun! I loved it! I got introduced to Gemma in Finding Mr. Write and was happy to get better acquainted. The story between her & Mason was messy & complicated but also very fun. This book was a bit beyond my spice level but there wasn’t anything too over the top. The settings were fun & I loved how Mason worked hard to make Gemma happy. Then Gemma reciprocated & it was lovely. The ending was great. The narrator is fabulous & I would listen to more books with her.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong & Hachette Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review. Amazing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an audio ARC of this book.

This is my first book by this author, and it certainly will not be the last! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Gemma, a romance author who had accidentally based her moody hero off of someone she used to know, is not dealing with the repercussions of her inspiration. Mason, a hockey player (with a double meaning) saves Gemma in an interview, and now that she’s back in his sights, he doesn’t want to lose her again.

This was sweet, and I didn’t want to stop listening. It was a duet narration (yay!) and the narrators were fantastic.

WRITING MR. WRONG BY KELLEY ARMSTRONG (REVIEW): More Like Mr. Right?!

Writing Mr. Wrong
by Kelley Armstrong

MY Synopsis: Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong is beautiful standalone romance book. The book follows Gemma and Mason, the romance author and the hockey star. These two have known each other since kindergarten, though they didn't stay in touch, they'd never forget each other. Especially after Gemma's new release has blown up for basing the MMC on Mason Moretti. Now that the two are reunited, Mason won't lose her again. He'll do anything to keep her in his orbit— whether it be a fake dating publicity stunt or a reform school for assholes. Read to learn how the two manage to juggle both their long history and possible future.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.0/5.0)
- Not a single boring moment, great flow. Great for fans of Sally Throne.
- There are some points where I disagreed with the FMC, stuff regarding her ex and Mason's whole school. But I think that's OK because the asshole school was more to train the mailman character for her rather than not be an asshole.
- Feels like the author clearly knows hockey!! I've read so many NHL books and never found one that included this much details of the sport. Loved hearing all the terms.
- The Karen in the airport scene was a bit more cringe than standing by her man type of vibe. I was cringing a bit but I did enjoy the old lady in the scene negotiating.

SPICE: 🌶️(1/3)
- First off, spice does not impact my enjoyment of the book. I've loved zero spice books and hated really smutty books. This is solely included to help you decide if YOU want to read it.
- Lots of detailed built up to deed, so it cannot be vanilla. BUT we didn't actually see their first time. Hits the bases but not the home run (is that sports analogy correct?).
- DAMNNN THAT BIKINI TOP SCENE🥵
- I shipped these two so damn hard!!

ACCESS: Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC. This book will be released on June 24th 2025.

CLOSING COMMENTS:
- Very enjoyable MCs put in entertaining scenarios, filled with both character development and chemistry.

*You can find me on Instagram @rhiannonreads24.7*

This was such a fun read! I absolutely loved the story and the narration was top tier! I love when a dual POV book is narrated with male and female voices. It makes it feel more natural and helps the story flow.

This book follows Gemma a debut author and Mason a pro hockey player who reconnect after her debut novel has a character eerily similar to our MMC. I absolutely loved the banter between the characters. I found them very relatable and it was refreshing to hear them discuss their feelings and insecurities. Also can we give a shout out to the grandmas of both main characters in this novel who deserved more pages??

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and the author for this ARC!

This was so fun! I loved the hilarity of this romance. I loved the narrators and I thought they added much emotion and whimsy and added life to the characters which made it all the better to listen to.

Writing Mr. Wrong is the best case scenario for a book girl. She's an author. he's a bad boy hockey player. They both need help and yet they have a past that they now must move past and grow from. I loved seeing how they both helped each other become better and learned from each other. they both went on personal journeys and worked on themselves and fell in love along the way and it was swoony, cute, and angsty and so worth it. Fans of romance and hockey will eat this up!

Audio Narration: 4.5/5

I almost didn’t read this book. I saw hockey player MMC and thought—nah, not for me—but then Forever offered me a finished copy, and I remembered I liked this author’s other contemporary romance, so I gave it a try.

Thank goodness I did because this book was SO freaking cute.

First, you should know that despite it not being listed anywhere as Duet audio is absolutely is DUET and the narration is PERFECT! A little slow, so expect to need to bump the speed but the overall performance was A+++

What’s to love…
- Bookish Book (romance author FMC + an audiobook & romance lover MMC)
- post-divorce FMC, who is confident and strong!
- second chance romance (high school crush/missed connection)
- single timeline with 1-2 short flashbacks
- Nona and Grandma are hilarious! I LOVE them
- the MMC’s character growth is TOP TIER, I was bawling my eyes out!
- This one flips a common trope in romance and it is the cutest thing ever, I won’t say which but trust me it’s swoony.

What’s not to love…
- the side characters are really only here to talk about the relationship between the two MCs. The focus in this book is the romance and relationship between the MCs and that isn’t really a bad thing - but this book wouldn’t pass the Bechdel test. That said, while this isn’t ideal (I like a little more depth to my characters usually—including relationships outside the romance) this is pretty much the only thing I didn’t love about this book.

🌶️: Ch 30 - Very mildly explicit, probably leaning a little more towards ambiguous than explicit, also short. Ch 33 - Fade to black. Plenty of tension and steam though!

Thanks to Hachette Audio, Kelley Armstrong and NetGalley for access to Writing Mr. Wrong.

This was a first for me: a contemporary romance by the queen of paranormal heroines. So glad I took the opportunity to listen, too. Was up at non recommended hours to finish in a couldn't put down kind of way.

Totally into the relationship between Gemma and Mason as they figure out who they are now versus childhood. Gemma is snappy, knows what she wants now, and is willing to be honest in a business full of pivoting. Appreciated the work put into writing, the unpleasant aspects of the industry sometimes.

Mason's flaws are glaring at times but he also appreciates how Gem doesn't back down. He needs someone to challenge, to push. Both have scars and are engaging when visualizing them attempting to balance.

Vibes.
- Low Angst.
- Second Chance Romance.
- Hockey Player Antics.
- Third Act Grovel.

The narrators and production did a fantastic job of creating distinct voices, even in each narration chapter.

4.5 stars. Writing Mr. Wrong is SO easy to love. Not only were the leads grown (mid-30s), but the FMC was also such a strong and realistic character! Kelley Armstrong's writing was clever—borderline satirical—and I finished nearly the entire audiobook in one sitting. The narrators did a phenomenal job. Patricia Santomasso embodied the character so well and Sean Patrick Hopkins had the PERFECT male voice in my opinion. Hot, but not unbearably gruff.

This book had a little bit of everything. Hockey player MMC, author FMC, righting past wrongs, island getaway, careers on the line, and some good ol' fashioned self-awareness. The plot was engaging, the character development was chef's kiss, and the pace was well done. Will definitely be reading anything Armstrong puts out.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC!

The duet narration was a surprise but was just so freaking good and made the book just that much better.

I almost always love second chance romance but throw in fake dating too?! I’m sold. *chefs kiss* PLUS he’s a hockey player that also enjoys cooking? And she’s a romance author?! YES PLEASE.

I also think the world needs more romances with people in their 30s!!!

The personal and professional growth demonstrated in the characters was so nice to read about.

I seriously adored this book.