You know a book is that good when you finish reading it & a few days later, you immediately jump back in when you have the audio in hand. That's what happened for me with this one. This might be my favorite Helena Hunting book yet. It's a hockey-adjacent romance with characters we've met from the Toronto Terrors series - this can be read as a standalone, but I do suggest reading The Way I Hate You (book 1 of Toronto Terrors) to get the full backstory here.

This is Nathan & Essie's story - best man & maid of honor to Nate's brother Tristan & Essie's best friend Beatrix. Nathan & Essie grew up together & due to a fumble on Nate's part, there is a bit of angsty dislike between them. Yet the tension & chemistry, plus incredible banter, are there in spades as Nate & Essie navigate all the wedding festivities together. Nate is the anti-love grump to Essie's happily forever sunshine. But when they finally give in to their attraction, Nate's views on relationships start to shift.

This story has not only the best steam, wonderful banter & great found family from all the Toronto Terror favs, but the character growth here is one that I really enjoyed. Nate's arc evolving as he starts to let his guard down with Essie & how this story really promotes therapy in such positive ways is something I really gravitated towards. He's a very complex character who starts to see the light once he realizes what & who he wants.

Essie might be one of my favorite FMCs. She knows who she is & she's so much more than her good looks. I love the vulnerability she shares & how she's not afraid to be exactly who she is. She is Nate's perfect match & I really just adored them together.

I devoured this book twice - the audio in duet narration with Savannah Peachwood & Teddy Hamilton is phenomenal. This also sets up some future stories & I cannot wait until the next Toronto Terror book (no spoilers but the trope & couple are revealed!)

💕 Second Chance Vibes
❣️ Best Man x Maid of Honor
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🏡 Forced Proximity
🏒 Hockey Adjacent
🫶 Found Family
⚡️ Opposites Attract
✌🏻 Dual POV in Duet Narration

This is a complete standalone novel, but if you have been following the Toronto Terror series, you may have come across Nate and Essie before. He is the brother of Tristan and she is the bestie of Beatrix and now as Best Man and Maid of Honor, Nate and Essie have to work together to give them the best wedding ever. Along the way other characters reappear and it’s a whole lot of fun to catch up with them all.

Some might call them opposites, as he is the grump to her sunshine, she believes in love and he doesn’t, but I feel they had more in common than not. Nate has a bond with his dad and brothers that is super strong, because their mother walked out on them. That family committed between the men resonates with Essie as she and her family are very close. They are both serious and take their jobs and responsibilities very seriously so planning the wedding events becomes a competition between them. Not sure who won though because both excelled there. So with all these similarities you’d think they would get along famously right? Ah…no. It all started back when they shared a kiss six years ago and then Nate ghosted her. So now it’s a love hate relationship with a whole lot of sexual tension.

I really liked this couple, they were supportive of each other in so many ways and their connection felt real. Nate had long lasting trauma from his mother who seemed to keep pushing his buttons and Essie was right by his side helping him deal with her. Some things he needed to work through himself and she was always on his side for that too. It wasn’t one sided either, he was her biggest fan and encouraged her all the time. Their relationship was sweet and adorable and I was extremely pleased with their HEA, even more so after the bonus scenes.

I couldn’t finish without mentioning the audiobook as well. I have never ever disliked a book that Teddy Hamilton has narrated, he is the bomb! He gets HH’s humor and his tone and expressions were perfect for Nate. Savannah Peachwood did a wonderful job with Essie as well. I can definitely recommend this book and audio.

Pushing buttons

This feels a lot like "Buttons" from the Pussycat dolls. After you read it, you'll understand it fully.

This story is easy to follow and written from both points of view, which helps a lot to understand Nate and Essie better.

We get to know both of them through the series (Torronto Terror and Tilton University).

I could relate well to both and get all the feeks. I cried (more or less silently) and laughed a lot (most times too loud for the crowd) while reading interactions between Essie and Nate. They're just another level of tease, and the chemistry is high.

I love every single page but felt a little off guard in the end. I hoped for a little bit much, but I understand the end, especially because of all the other things around.

I cannot wait for the next book in line with that many hints left and right.

ebook:
It's easy to follow even for non native English readers. It is fluid and so fun between the lines.

audiobook:
The book is read in a duet by Teddy Hamilton for Nate's part and Savannah Peachwood for Essie.
The voices fit perfectly for Nate's and Essie’s characters, and they're easy to follow even for non native English readers. The narrators transmit so many emotion through their voices that I could just feel it without them even telling specifically. That's totally amazing.

conclusion:
It's a really great story with all the chemistry and pushing buttons for a wonderful love story.

book description:
The best man ghosted me six years ago after kissing me, and now I have to plan every wedding event under the sun with him.

Nate Stiles is the definition of serious.
Furrowed brow? Check.
Rain cloud personality? Double check.

I shouldn’t be thinking about the fact that our kiss was the best one of my life right now. I should be planning the bachelorette party of the millennium.

I shouldn’t be wondering when Nate became such a good dancer after we got roped into salsa lessons with the happy couple. I should be mentally ticking off boxes on my bridal checklists.

I shouldn’t be wondering what it would be like if I didn’t hate Nate Stiles. I should be holding strong against a man who doesn’t believe in love.

My name is Essie Lovelock. I am a reformed love obsessed fairytale fanatic and I’m determined to be the best maid of honor my best friend could ever have.

And I am absolutely not going to fall for the best man.

Tropes:
grumpy/sunshine, second chance romance

Info:
I received an advanced reader and listen copy from the author and through the audiobook provider via Netgalley. This has not influenced my opinion.


This book is a standalone but is interconnected with the Toronto Terror Series and the Tilton University Series.

Just be aware that there are a lot of Cameos from that both series and from Kodi & Lavender, and side information while reading it.

Weddings. One of my very favorite plots. This book had one of the most gorgeous, emotional and drama filled wedding stories. And so much love.

The audiobook is narrated in duet and it’s absolutely perfect! Two of my favorite narrators do an outstanding job of bringing all the characters to life, especially Nate and Essie.

It was wonderful to return to the world of the Toronto Terrors as Essie and Nate organize Rix and Tristan’s wedding and all the awkward, HOT, fun, emotional times that come with it. And all the love. Nate is Terror hockey star Tristan’s younger brother and Essie is Rix’s bestie (𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 1 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘪𝘹 𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘍 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘏𝘈𝘛𝘌 𝘔𝘌.)

This book is an absolute gem. All of the Terror team are back with their significant others to attend all the wedding festivities. Even Kodiak and Lavender (2nd generation PUCKED series) join in. This is a stand alone but I recommend enjoying all of the Toronto Terror hockey series books to learn more about many of the characters mentioned here. Every book is sweet, funny, emotional and very spicy, with laugh out loud moments and more.

Helena Hunting has done it again! I Could Be Yours was the perfect bridge between her All In, Toronto Terror, and Tilton University series—an absolute gift for longtime fans of her interconnected worlds. I loved how seamlessly characters I’ve fallen in love with over the years were woven into Essie and Nate’s story, making the entire book feel like a heartfelt reunion with old friends.

The chemistry between Nate and Essie practically crackled off the page. Their banter was sharp, flirty, and full of that signature Helena charm that never fails to make me laugh and swoon in equal measure. I was completely invested in their slow-burn romance and the emotional depth behind their connection.

And the epilogue? Perfection! It left me grinning and dying to dive back into this world—especially now that we know Connor and Dred’s story is on the horizon. Helena knows how to tease what’s next just right, and I’m already counting down the days.

This audiobook was brilliant. It was well written and the narrators did an amazing job connecting with and bringing the characters to life. The narrators, Teddy and Savannah were amazing at bringing emotion to the story, when it was required and I loved how they narrated their characters and was hooked on listening to them. Teddy and Savannah did amazing job, they were clear and narrated at an perfect pace and definitely had me hooked to listening to this audiobook.

This story is PURE MAGIC! Helena Hunting did it again, it's so addictive and one of my favorites this year! I’m obsessed, I couldn't put it down for a single second. The narrators did an epic job bringing Nate and Essie to life. You can feel all the emotions in the audio.

I was already curious about Nate and Essie in the previous books, but I didn't expect to love It so much. Nate is a complex character, super intelligent but always so grumpy, he is so broken and doesn't want to show his emotions, but when it's time for him to plan with Essie everything related to her brother's wedding, sparks fly between them. I love Essie so much, she's a rainbow that lights up everything around her, including Nate and his gray cloud. I love the way the author narrates the story and how little by little Essie manages to break through Nate's walls with her beautiful personality and sweetness. I love them so much together.Their banter is epic, and their passionate scenes are off the charts!

The authors did an exceptional job combining hilarious scenes with sweet, emotional, and spicy moments. I don't know how Helena does it, but every day I fall more in love with her stories and this world is exceptional, unique and so beautiful. I loved the glimpses of the their friends and their lives and I’m dying for the story of Connor and Dre, that epilogue already left me hooked.
This book is UNPUTDOWNABLE, addictive and so good!

Highly recommended for fans of
Grumpy sunshine
Forced proximity
Found Family
I hate everyone but you
Damaged Hero

Anything sports romance from Helena is perfect and this is no exception. Growing up in Ontario I love the references to webers burgers and other landmark type things. The enemies to lovers trip works perfectly here and it had me kicking my feet! I’m obsessed with the two of them and can’t wait to read it all over again!

Nate is broody and Essie really is sunshine and their development is super cute.

Fabulous second chance romance

Review for ebook and audio

Helena Hunting has delivered another fabulous story with I COULD BE YOURS. A second chance romance which had witty banter, sizzling spice, terrific chemistry, and wonderful characters. This slow burn romance between Essie Lovelock and Nate Stiles had me hooked from the beginning, making it an impossible book to put down. Listening to the audio only enhanced the enjoyment and the entertainment this story provided.

Essie is a ray of sunshine, a lover of everything pink, as woman with a big heart, and someone who is in love with the idea of love, often to her own detriment. Nate often only shows his serious side, he's broody and carefully guards his emotions. Contrary to what he outwardly displays, this man is a marshmallow at his core, he wants love, yet previous experiences have shown him love only leads to hurt. Essie and Nate have a past, one where he hurt her, he'd ghosted her. The two have been thrown together to help organize the wedding of their closest friend and brother and find themselves being drawn to each other. I love that they both have vulnerabilities they need to deal with. Their character development, especially Nate's, was beautifully handled. This couple had wonderful chemistry, hot spice, and awesome banter, they just needed to acknowledge the depth of their feelings for each other.

*Audio*

Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton's duet narration and portrayal of Essie and Nate was sublime. They brought all the fin, banter, heat, and emotions to life perfectly. I love this pairing of narrators; they always make listening thoroughly enjoyable. Savannah brought out Essie's softness, her "princess" ways, her flirtatiousness, and her love of love beautifully. Teddy's portrayal of Nate was perfect, bringing out his vulnerabilities, smexyness, and flirty ways with such ease. Together they brought out the tension, desire, and love these two characters have effortlessly. I can't praise them highly enough.

I COULD BE YOURS included all the spice, humour, and emotions I have come to love and associate with Helena's writing. The friendships and found family this group has found together always makes me smile. I love that Helena brings back characters from previous books and series. If you're a lover of hot spice, stolen kisses, destination weddings, limbo challenges, dance lessons, and opening your heart to love, then this is definitely the book for you.

Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

I Could Be Yours was adorably cute with steam, lots of banter, drama, angst and emotion. I enjoyed it. I loved the characters, Nate and Essie and their quirky relationship. I loved that even though it was a fun, lighthearted read there were things of a delicate slightly darker nature present. I liked the balance the author struck between the two. I also loved the way the narrators brought this story to life and the way they voiced the characters. They definitely did a great job. It was a pleasure listening to them. I definitely recommend this book.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and the banter between Essie and Nate made my day. These two are not only adorable together but their chemistry is off the charts. The slow burn and the tension between them made the moment when they finally gave into each other that much more exquisite. The fact that she was the one that was pierced, and he was the one with the trauma was a refreshing take on these tropes. The story itself was also amazing. So much love, and healing not only between the main characters but also the love between them and their family and friends. I loved seeing characters from other series in this story. The narration by Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton was chef's kiss! They brought to life the perfect chemistry Helena created between these characters.

Oh my gosh, I absolutely adored this book! I've been eagerly awaiting Essie and Nate's story, and it did not disappoint. Their banter made me laugh and their connection made me blush. I could feel their chemistry together.

Helena Hunting just has a way of writing stories that make me laugh out loud, swoon like crazy, all while dealing with some meaningful emotional themes. What surprised me most was how much I connected with Nate. Seeing him prioritize his mental health and push through his struggles was incredibly powerful. I loved how Essie and Nate saw each other and cared for each other.

I love the found family troupe and so seeing how prominently all the characters from previous books were included in this one made me feel like a part of their found family. By the end, I was ready to pack my bags and head straight to Aruba to celebrate with everyone. I genuinely feel like I know and am friends with these characters.

I also listened to the audiobook and Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood did a phenomenal job bringing everyone to life and had me hooked from beginning to end. My favorite part was that it was duet narration which really brought it to life. If you're looking for a book/audiobook that's fun, heartwarming, and full of great characters, definitely pick this one up!

omgomgomgomg im still squealing over the disney worthy hea for nate and essie girl. i have been PANTING for them since their first tension filled cameos in previous stories. i adore helenas writing and how she characters are all so interconnected in a found family- it was amazing to get to experience tris and bea’s big day through the lense of nate and essie! nate has a lot of similar baggae to tristain, but the way it affected their personalities and ability to love was unique to them entirely. i loved getting to see his growth and path healing so he could be the best version of himself. essie is absolutely a woman after my own heart and i relate to her need to be loved on a cellular level. also id be remiss not to mention the nerdy spice and woooah, everytime i think ive read peak helena spice she comes back and sprinkles some more madness in there.

teddy hamilton and savanah peachwood absolutely rocked this narration. it was utter perfection- i literally couldnt contain my excitement when i realized who was voicing these two. hearing this story in duet was absolutely ear tingling and it made the immersive reading that much better

huge thank you to helena hunting, her team and dreamscape media for allowing me the opportunity to receive and ARC/ALC. i have adored all of your stories and i am so grateful to be apart of your badass babe brigade!

tropes: grumpy sunshine, hate to love, found family, forced proximity, romcom, trauma rep
vibes: adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail

4.25⭐️. Devoured Nate & Essie’s story in a day! I love me a grumpy MMC and Nate certainly delivered! This man thinks love is a sham, but when he can’t stop thinking about a kiss 6 years ago that he shared with a woman who’s obsessed with love….time will only tell if his thoughts will shift. The banter between these two will have you ready for that tension to snap….and when it does, it is so delicious!

Audiobook🎧: Narrated in duet by Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton and it was so amazing to listen to! They perfectly embodied the characters of Essie & Nate and I loved every minute of this audio!

What to expect:
🌸Grumpy x sunshine
🌸Forced proximity
🌸Opposites attract
🌸Best man x Maid of honor
🌸Found family

Thank you to much to Helena Hunting, Dreamscape Media, and Netgalley for letting me read/listen to an ARC & ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I think @helenahunting might be the queen on hockey romance because The Toronto Terror Series has trapped me. Each book has been better than the last and I Could Be Yours is no different. Nate and Essie have a past and have to come back face to face when they are best man and maid of honor. Essie is a romantic and always thinks each man is the one but is determined not to this time. Nate ghosted her before and she isn’t going to let him do it again. Second Chance romance at its finest.

You can read this as a stand alone, but it isn’t as fun because you don’t know all the back stories of the other characters. This book releases on July 10th so go take the time to catch up on the others. I promise you will love them!

4.5 Stars ⭐️ I Could Be Yours has the spice, humor, and angst that I expect when going into a Helena Hunting. The tropes are: grumpy x sunshine, second chance, found family, sneaking around, and summer vibes. Plus, Essie has piercings and Nate is obsessed with them…and her! Plus, a lot of banter!

There were a lot of cameos from characters from Little Lies and the Toronto Terror series. There is a lot of summer vibes with a destination wedding on a tropical island (Aruba) backdrop. Essie and Nate shared a kiss 6 years ago, but Nate ghosted her for reasons. Now they’re Rix and Tristan’s best man and maid of honor, so they have to work together, and the chemistry and attraction between them never went away! Nate is OBSESSED with Essie! There was a great “fuck it” moment that I love plus all the grumpy/sunshine vibes that made the banter more fun! There was the found family vibes, and Essie and Nate sneaking around. The character growth and the romantic growth was well done. Especially when Nate and Essie worked through the third act conflict. Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton were perfection as Essie and Nate. I had a lot of fun listening to their narration!

Thank you to Helena Hunting for a copy of the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️
Nate is just sooo against love and that everyone will leave him eventually. Essie is seeking her forever after fairytale ending, despite being heartbroken multiple times. Their story really started six years ago with the one kiss they shared, and it affected both of them more than they thought.
I really ended up enjoying Nate and Essie's story! This is like the true representation of grumpy meets sunshine. And adding on a second chance between them too?! It was magical indeed.
This story involved alot of cameos from the Toronto Terror books, so it's much better if you read this book after reading those to really get to know the characters! But if not, it is explained in the story who each character is in relation to each other and their friend group.
I absolutely love this found family dynamic from the Toronto Terrors and the spin offs.
This book does also allude to the couple for book 5 of Toronto Terror and I'm so excited to see what's to come!

Now for the audiobook, it is a duet narration and I absolutely ate it up. My new favorite way to read is having my book pulled up alongside the audiobook. It is just way more immersive for the story. The audiobook also felt very hot in some scenes but oh so worth it 🙈 I will devour any of Teddy's works tbh. Savannah Peachwood is a new narrator to me and I really enjoyed her as Essie in this book!

Thank you Helena Hunting for the ARC and Dreamscape Media for the ALC!!

OH HELENA OF COURSE ANOTHER 5 STAR BOOK!

I LOVE NATE AND ESSIE!!

This book was just perfection. I love these characters and Helena writing makes me feel like I am apart of their lives LOL. I get so wrapped up in the books. I hated to see it end and so cant wait for the next book. Helena is one of my authors that if she writes it I will read it! Again PERFECTION!

I Could Be Yours is another 5 star romance from Helena Hunting. With a maid of honor and best man who go from antagonists to lovers, all while embracing the greatest found family ever, this book is impossible to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Makeup artist Essie hooked up with Nate Stiles after high school, and then he ghosted her. Now six years later, his hockey player brother Tristan is marrying her BFF Rix, and the two are spending tons of time together while helping plan the wedding. Nate is perplexed by Essie’s obsession with romance, while Essie doesn’t understand why Nate doesn’t believe in true love. But competing led up parties somehow turn to competitions for who can have the most orgasms together. Now that they’re in the Caribbean for the glam destination ceremony, can Essie and Nate really write off their mutual attraction as simply physical?

I adore Nate and Essie. Essie struggles to be known as more than just a pretty face, and it’s clear that Nate is obsessed with her brains along with her many piercings. Nate continues to struggle with his mom taking off when he was young, but also wants to protect his brothers from having to deal with their own abandonment issues.

I Could Be Yours can be read as a standalone, but it’s probably more fun if you’ve at least read If You Hate Me first (Tristan and Rix’s story). There are so many treats for anyone who’s read any of Hunting’s Toronto Terror books—cucumber references galore—and the characters are all interconnected.

I listened to this audiobook, and once again the narrators are perfect for Hunting’s story. Both Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood do an amazing job of bringing these characters to life.

I Could Be Yours has all the heat and humor that I love in a Helena Hunting story. Both Essie and Nate are incredibly likable characters, and I had a great time watching them find their way to their HEA.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5⭐️

Essie and Nate shared a mind-bending, incredible, and perfect kiss almost six years ago, but Nate ghosts her. Now, they are forced to work together as maid of honor and best man for their best friend & brother's wedding. Nate is constantly annoyed by Essie's love of love, and Essie can't stand his storm cloud attitude. Despite their differences, they cannot stop thinking about their kiss.... and how to make it happen again.

✨second chance
✨best man & maid of honor
✨enemies to lovers

"You're such a smoke show when you look like you're plotting my undoing."

This was so so good!!! Definitely my new favorite Helena Hunting book. Nate & Essie had electric chemistry from literally the first sentence, and they were so funny together. Essie is such a sweet soul with a heart for love & i loved seeing her make Nate see the world in a more pink hue. They were so good for each other & supported each other flawlessly without even recognizing it. I like every book more and more in this universe & I can't wait for more 🤩🤩🤩

The audiobook was absolutely UNREAL. The duet style of narration is my favorite and this absolutely did not disappoint. I could listen to a thousand more hours of this!!

Thank you so much to Helena Hunting for letting me be a part of the BBB ARC/ALC team 🫶🏼