Chicago Players is the new spin-off hockey romance series from Kate Meader, and if you're familiar with the author's Rookie Rebels series, then Theo Kershaw should be no stranger, what with him finding his own happy ending in Instacrush, the second book in the aforementioned older series. Now the veteran on the Chicago Rebels hockey team, Theo is the oldest active player in the league. This spin-off features his adult children, as well as a new batch of Rebels. Having said that, it isn't wholly necessary to read Instacrush or any other previously released book in the Chicago Rebels universe prior to reading this one.

Lars Nyquist, a thirty-five-year-old defenseman for the Chicago Rebels, loves playing hockey. He gets along with almost everyone on the team, and there's no denying the chemistry he has with future hall of famer Theo Kershaw. Having a baby dumped on him by a married woman he spent time with in the past throws him for a loop. The Kershaws offer him support, but it's his teammate's oldest daughter--and second oldest child--who proves to be a life saver. Twenty-three-year-old Adeline Kershaw has returned after a year spent traveling, just in time to not only witness the guy she's been crushing on for years to learn he's a father, but to offer up some much needed help caring for his daughter, Mabel. As long as she remembers to keep her heart out of it. Easier said than done when Addy is falling for Lars all over again.

When I heard that Kate Meader had a new hockey series featuring Theo's family and the Chicago Rebels, I was thrilled. I loved her Chicago Rebels series, and her Rookie Rebels series was addictive. So naturally, I was looking forward to reading the Chicago Players series starter, and my expectations were lofty. However, I found myself at a bit of a loss while reading. I just didn't feel the chemistry between Lars and Addy. It didn't have anything to do with the age gap nor was I turned off by Theo being one of Lars's closest friends. The twosome didn't fully click with me, making it hard to be more emotionally invested in them. The writing also wasn't as on-point as it usually is with Meader. I'm giving Sweet Thing three stars.

“Your dad’s teammate. Your massive crush. His surprise baby. What could possibly go wrong?” 🍼🏒💘

Read if you like:
✨ single dad hockey players
✨ nanny + forbidden crush
✨ age gap romance
✨ sports romance spin-offs
✨ found family + soft dads
✨ a little chaos, a lot of heart

📚 Sweet Thing kicks off Kate Meader’s Chicago Players series with a swoony, sweet slow burn between a freshly minted single dad and the one woman he should definitely not fall for—his teammate’s daughter. When Adeline returns from a year abroad and steps in as nanny for Lars’s surprise baby, she’s expecting professionalism… not nightly sparks and full-on heart eyes over diaper duty.

👨‍👧 Lars is newly thrust into fatherhood and completely out of his depth. Big, broody, and adorably clueless about babies, he’s also harboring some very un-dad-like thoughts about the woman helping him keep it all together. Adeline is funny, warm, and fiercely capable—but she’s also battling a long-standing crush on the man with the thickest thighs in hockey and her dad’s best friend. Yikes.

💞 Their dynamic is built on trust, slow-burn tension, and quiet moments that melt into more. While the premise might feel familiar, the charm is in the execution—the pining, the age-gap tension, and the stolen glances make this feel fresh and emotionally satisfying. And once they give in? Totally worth the wait.

👧 Adorable baby content? Check. Nostalgic cameos from beloved Chicago Rebels characters? Double check. Seeing OG couples all grown up and parenting adds depth without stealing the spotlight, and the world-building hints at more heart-melting stories to come.

✍️ Kate Meader delivers comfort, chemistry, and a strong heroine with a soft heart. This isn’t a high-drama ride—it’s low-angst, high-feels, and perfect for fans of sports romance who want a mix of emotional warmth and flirty fun.

🌟 Sweet Thing is a feel-good, forbidden(ish) romance that leans into found family, soft masculinity, and long-time crushes finally realized. If you love hockey heroes learning how to swaddle and strong women who’ve had enough of pretending they don’t feel something, this one’s for you.

#BookReview #SweetThing #KateMeader #ChicagoPlayers #HockeyRomance #SingleDadRomance #AgeGapLove #NannyRomance #SportsRomCom #RomanceBooks #SlowBurnRomance #FoundFamilyFeels #RomComWithHeart #BookstagramRomance #HockeyRomanceSeries

Lars Nyquist’s life just got flipped upside down when a one-night stand leaves him holding a baby, and zero clue how to be a dad. Enter Adeline, teammate’s daughter and expert nanny, who’s got a job to do and a secret crush on the gruff Chicago Rebels defenseman. Ten years younger and totally off-limits, Adeline’s best plan is to disappear on a world trip, until she returns to find herself caring for Lars’s surprise daughter and falling for the man who’s more than just a hockey hero. With steamy chemistry, age-gap tension, and a little girl stealing the show, a heartwarming, addictive romance about unexpected family and second chances.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️

Found family, Single NHL daddy x Nanny, schoolgirl crush to lovers, Sweet Thing has all of my favorites. Sweet Thing is first book in the new hockey series, The Chicago Players and is the second gen from the Rookie Rebel series.

The night before she leaves for a yearlong trip around the world Lars overhears his teammate’s daughter, Adeline, saying she thinks he’s the sexiest man. Everyone believes that it’s just a schoolgirl crush and she will grow out of it while she’s on her adventure around the world. However, in the night Adeline returns from her post-grad trip around the world, she is in the bar when Lars gets the surprise of a lifetime, he’s a daddy. Lars needs.a live-in nanny ASAP during the NHL season and Adeline is still trying to figure out what to become now that she’s graduated.

While living together Lars and Adeline start to realize that this may be more than a schoolgirl crush. Lars is afraid to tell his teammate that he’s fallen for his daughter. If his teammate finds out Lars risks losing the only family he’s ever known and it could destroy the familial relationships he’s built with his teammates and their families.

The banter is quick witted and keeps the story moving fast. I loved the chemistry between Lars & Adeline, and also the strong connection between Lars and his team and Adeline and her family. This steamy romance wove sweet and vulnerable moments between the steamy and spicy scenes. I can’t wait to read the next books in The Chicago Players series

What I Loved
🏒 Slow burn
🏒Found family
🏒Age gap 13 years (He’s mid-30s, She’s 22)
🏒Forced proximity
🏒Playboy x teammate’s daughter
🏒Single Daddy x Nanny
🏒Trying to overcome parent’s reputation
🏒You only wear MY jersey
🏒Off limits, forbidden love
🏒 Secret dating

TWs:
- Recollection of assault of FMC
- Recovery from trauma
- Mention of cheating (not the MMC or FMC)
- Traumatic and abusive childhood memories

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Meader for the eARC for review.

The first thing that drew my attention to this book is hockey of course. It's my favorite sports romance. Add in an age-gap, an unprepared surprise single dad with a nanny and you have the perfect setup for romance.

Adeline knows exactly what she wants and always had a crush on him. Lars was surprised by the news that he was a dad from a one night stand. Lars instantly wanting to be the best dad for Mabel was so sweet. Both of them have some trauma and they help each grow from the traumas. I really enjoyed them as a couple and wish there was more but I don't know of a book I have read that I don't wish there was more. The found family was chefs kiss especially for Lars.

Definitely get the bonus epilogue when you finish because yes just do it. I can't wait for the rest of the series!

I always look forward to reading stories by Kate Meader. She writes fun to read romances with characters that make you want to know more about them. Many of those characters seem to show up a lot and one of them is Theo Kershaw. You have love him and his family. Now here we are enjoying a story with is daughter as the heroine.

First off, it's hard to think that Theo is old enough to have a daughter that old. Second, holy crap I'm feeling old. The wonderful thing about Theo is the life he brings to a story so image in that story is about his daughter.

I love how Lars stood for his baby girl. Being thrown into something like that is rough. The shock of it alone had to have him freaking out. I love a single dad story, and Lars makes you love them more. The love and care he has for his baby girl just warms your heart.

Right away you can feel how much they want each other. The pull of these two is strong and because of Lars's friendship with Theo it was tricky. I felt it was handled pretty well. I liked how the story handled all the tricky parts. I do kind of wished we had a bit more of the romance between Lars and Abby but that might just be me.

This is a great start to a new series. The only thing I wished was different was that it wasn't written in first person. I'm not a fan of that writing style so that made it a little hard on me. The story will make you happy that we have another one coming soon.

Adeline has been crushing on her father's best friend Lars for years, and when Lars finds out he is the father of a 7 month old baby, she offers to help out as a live-in nanny.

Being in close quarters and bonding over the adorable baby Mabel results in a lot of tension and pining...

I enjoyed this book, especially the big reveal at the end and the progress of Lars as a father. It was an equally heartwarming and lust filled read!

Twenty-three year old Adeline Kershaw has had a crush on Lars Nyquist for a few years. Thirty-five year old Lars is a defensive player on the Chicago Rebels professional hockey team. The same team that Addy's dad Theo plays on.....and he's Theo's defensive line partner! Knowing that this is probably Theo's last year, Addy doesn't want to rock the boat.

While out celebrating a win, Lars is approached by his one-time one-night stand and presents him with a baby girl, Mabel and the words.....She's yours....bye....and then leaves. Not knowing what to do, Addy steps forward and offers her help. Next thing she knows she is living in Lars' house being a nanny to seven month old Mabel.

The more time Addy is spending with Lars and Mabel, the more her feelings grow. Unbeknownst to her, Lars is also having some of those same feelings even knowing that she is 1. Theo's daughter 2. Twelve years younger than him and 3. She deserves someone better than him.

Of course as feelings develop, their chemistry starts to sizzle until they finally cross that line. The only problem is that they need to keep this new relationship a secret because of Theo. Well of course secrets can never be kept and everything just blows up. It will take an interesting turn before Addy and Lars realize that they really do belong together.

I really enjoyed this steam, forbidden, age gap, hockey love story. Lars was such a fun character. I loved how he was regarding Mabel. Addy had a few issues that she needed to work on but in the end she found the one thing she really needed. This was a great start to a new series. Can't wait for the next book.

3.5★

"No longer was she the nanny, my teammate's daughter, the innocent who was all wrong for me. With my release and claim, she was the woman who was right in every way. She was the woman who would be my undoing."

I sometimes forget how much I love me an age gap/single daddy/forbidden romance read. And on top of those wonderful tropes, it was also a spicy hockey romance. What more could a girl ask for??

I absolutely adored the way the Kershaw family showed up for Lars when he needed them most. Like my heart could not handle that found family aspect.

The chemistry that Lars and Adeline had with each other was so well written. Good for her for going for it cause yum, Lars sounds mighty fine!!?!

These two characters really go through it in this book, not just with each other but also individually. They way they handled themselves and their issues and the secrets felt so raw and real to read.

Also, the teaser Kate gives us at the end for the next book... I will definitely be adding that to my tbr list!

I would like to thank Kate, Victory Editing and NetGalley for the arc of this book.

• Age Gap
• Forbidden Romance
• Dad's Best Friend + Teammate
• Forced Proximity
• Single Dad x Nanny
• Found Family
• Sports Romance
• Dual POV

Spice level: ♥ ♥ ♥

This book literally has everything that a knockout story should have. The writing is phenomenal, the story is plotted out perfectly, the story is interesting and engaging, and the characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional.
I can’t wait for book two!

📚Sweet Thing📚
Arc review
Rating 4🌟
Release date: 15th July 2025
I was so happy to be accepted to read this book before it came out
This is a slow burn romance.
I didn't expect a man to not want kids to suddenly get a baby shoved in his arms and the mum to just leave her.
Loved how he cared and looked after her.
Lar's & Addys relationship was just so cute they had good banter and chemistry. I wanted more of their relationship, though😔. Can't wait to read book 2

Thanks so much to Kate Meader and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC of this title. This was my first read from Kate Meader and it did not disappoint. It was a great single dad/nanny romance and add in some hockey and an age gap, chefs kiss, loved it! excited to read the rest of this series! if you like hockey and a good age gap romance this is perfect for you.

Kate Meader delivers a charming, emotionally satisfying read with Sweet Thing, the first in her new Chicago Players series. If you love the "surprise single dad meets nanny" trope with a hefty dose of forbidden romance, this one’s for you.

Adeline and Lars have undeniable chemistry from the start—even if their relationship is complicated by the fact that he’s her dad’s teammate and more than a decade older. When Lars is suddenly handed a baby he didn’t know he had, Adeline steps in as a temporary nanny, and the close quarters only intensify their connection.

What I loved:

The age-gap dynamic was handled with care and maturity.
Lars learning to be a dad? Heart-melting.
Adeline is strong, nurturing, and relatable—especially in how she balances her feelings with her responsibilities.
The slow burn made the payoff so satisfying.
Why not 5 stars? The pacing dragged a bit in the middle, and I would’ve loved more insight into Lars’s emotional journey beyond fatherhood. Still, the blend of humor, heat, and heartfelt moments made this a standout read.

Looking forward to the next book in the series!

My review: 4 ⭐

Sweet Thing is the first Kate Meader book I’ve read and I’m officially hooked. It’s fun, it's flirty and it's packed with all the emotion I love in a sports romance.

I loved the dual POV - it made Adeline and Lars’ growth feel authentic. Adeline’s family embracing Lars while he navigated unexpected fatherhood was such a heartwarming touch. Their loyalty and support really stood out.

Adeline becoming Mabel’s nanny added so much depth to her relationship with Lars and their shared protectiveness made it feel like a true family dynamic. The setup of being handed a baby in a bar and told she’s yours? Wild, but it totally worked.

Their journey to becoming a family was messy and sweet and so satisfying. I loved the epilogue and can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Publishing and Kate Meader for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sweet Thing is a feel good hockey romance that blends the single dad trope with found family, forced proximity, and just the right dash of age-gap tension. Lars was a total standout for me. Watching him figure out fatherhood, step up for his daughter, and fall head over heels for Adeline felt warm and real. You can’t help but root for a guy trying to break a cycle and build something better.

Adeline, on the other hand, is still in that messy “figuring herself out” stage of life, and that made her relatable for me in not wanting to disappoint anyone and keeping your head held high. I liked the Kershaw family dynamic and I appreciated how the story kept things light while still touching on themes of identity, belonging, and healing.

Overall, a fun read, I just wanted a bit more depth and exploration between our MC’s outside of the conflicts!

I am a sucker for the single dad/nanny trope and I definitely could not put this book down! A hockey romance with an age gap and best friends daughter? This book had it all!!

Lars and Adeline had great chemistry through out this story, and the way Lars stepped up for his daughter? Absolutely adorable. I loved all of these characters and would love to join the Kershaw family myself!

Such a fun, cute, spicy read!

The perfect hockey romance! As the first book in the Chicago Players series, you’ll find tropes such as single hot hockey player, nanny, best friends daughter, found family, all the best tropes!! I loved the relationship between Lars and Adeline, and the detail that went into Lars past and his unexpected role he was forced into that he embraced so graciously. Adeline’s mental health journey was extremely relatable for me and the representation was amazing! Definitely recommend pick this one up for anyone wanting a newly released good-vibes sports romance 💘 I cannot wait for the next book!

The worst thing Adeline thought that could happened to her was her dad’s best friend Lars Nyquist overhearing that she finds him attractive. Now a year and some change later she’s back and he has a surprise baby and the baby momma show up at a bar.

Adeline’s family is always quick to offer help and support to Lars and her dad quickly offers up his daughter as a solution to Lars nanny problem. But with the forced proximity and how well Adeline is with his kid Lars can’t help but start to develop feeling for her.

Now he has a new battle to do what is right by his best friend and co captain or to go after what/ who he wants.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kate Meader for this ARC copy.

If you like hockey romances then this the book for you! I really enjoyed this book and am so thankful I received an arc. It was cute, spicy and funny.

I think this is a pretty standard sports romance. It was very cute and I enjoyed most of the characters. Some parts of it felt a little repetitive or fell a little flat to me. If you’re looking for a short and cute age gap sports romance this book will do the job and get it done well. I would say this book is not as spicy as I thought it would be. Which is also not a bad thing and allowed you to enjoy the couples slow build to a relationship.