I wanted to like this book. And I knew when I read the opening scene - Fern, the maid of honor in her cousin Tawnee's wedding, is hot gluing flowers to a board to make a photo backdrop in the cabin of her brother's hockey teammate when he walks in unannounced and she physically attacks him before macing herself - that I wouldn't be able to finish it. I normally try to read the entire book before writing a review, but I just couldn't with this book.

After the altercation between Fern and Gabe, she stays at the cabin, then he helps her with her Pinterest projects. (What kind of bride makes her bridal party do handicrafts for her wedding without her?) Then they go out to eat where he's hit on by two women, they're allowed to tag-team in an eating competition, then she wins some hula hooping beer drinking contest where she gets $50 and they randomly give her an extra box of tampons (but she doesn't take the box, she shoves handfuls of tampons in their pockets - WHAT?!? Who does this?!?!?).

In chapter three, they're driving home from dinner when they stop to pick up a pizza delivery guy who accidentally delivered to the wrong house and caught a drug deal happening so they get chased by the drug dealers and get their windows shot out. This is where I stopped reading.

It's books like this - poorly written and even more poorly edited - that give contemporary romance a reputation for not being a legitimate genre.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 & 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐛𝐮𝐳𝐳 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.

❀.* 1 💫
╰┈➤ no spoiler review

⇒ I'm sad because this was the first arc I've ever received, and because it's my second dnf in a row. The plot felt nonexistent, and the romance was confusing. I'm hoping the final printed edition will feel more finished and things will make more sense then, but as of right now, this was not my thing.

ೃ⁀➷ However, if you're a fan of these tropes, maybe give it a looksie
↬ He plays hockey
↬ Brothers Best Friend
↬ Temporary Roommates
↬ Spice without being super explicit
↬ He's super protective

So grateful for this arc and I wish I could've enjoyed it more :(

Ultimately not the book for me, but I think this was a cute read. I just wasn’t as big of a fan of the premise in action as I was based on the description. Probably wouldn’t reread but I enjoyed my time!

3.25⭐



Fern Novotny regresa a Minnesota para ser dama de honor en la boda de su prima, a pesar de que eso implique enfrentarse a sus torpes habilidades con las manualidades y a sus catastróficas decisiones pasadas en el amor. Cuando llega sola a una cabaña para adelantar los preparativos del fin de semana de despedida de soltero/a, un malentendido con un supuesto intruso, que resulta ser Gabe Wolkowski, jugador profesional de hockey y amigo de su hermano, desata una caótica y desternillante pelea en la cocina. Fern termina con gas pimienta en la cara, y Gabe con un ojo morado.


Gabe arrastra el duelo por la pérdida de su esposa y la carga de un pasado difícil. Mientras Fern es una enfermera con espíritu viajero, vive decidida a aprovechar cada momento tras sobrevivir al cáncer. Ambos son personajes tienen muchas cosas que sanar.

---

No le puse una calificación mayor porque me canso el estira y afloja.

Como disfrute cuando apareció Brandon y como Fern decidió darle una lección a Gabe.

¿En que pensaba Gabe al darle a quien sabe cuantas mujeres el código de acceso de su casa??

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

Unfortunately I DNF this book at about the 15% mark. I really wanted to like it because I love hockey romance and this one even had cabin in the woods vibes. However, the dialogue and chemistry between the players felt really awkward. I actually felt like maybe there was another book in this series that I missed but I don't think that's the case. We need more character building before they get thrown together and fall into insta-lust. I also thought that the character's pasts were revealed super fast and in an unrealistic way.