5 stars!

I love second chance romances and Nate and Essie’s story gives us a fantastic one. It’s sweet, swoony, sexy, and full of heart but it’s not without pain and heartache. Right before leaving for university, Nate and Essie share an unforgettable kiss. Then, Nate ghosts Essie leaving her with hurt and unanswered questions.

Over the years, they continue to sort of avoid the past but there is still a tension surrounding the two of them whenever they are in the same room. When Nate and Essie are brought together to plan the wedding of Tristan (Nate’s brother) and Rix (Essie’s BFF), they spend way more time together than they had hoped and the attraction they shared initially is still very much there. However, Nate doesn’t believe in love and Essie wants her fairytale ending, so knowing that they want different things, they decide to have a little no-strings attached fun during the festivities. Feelings start to change the more time they spend together and things get messy leaving them more hurt and confused than ever. Can Nate and Essie figure out what they truly want and whether or not there is a happy ending for both of them?

I loved this story!! Nate and Essie have a lot going on in their heads about their ideas of love. Essie wants to find her one true love but she’s been burned in the past. Nate doesn’t believe in love because in his world, love doesn’t stay. Though these two end up heating up the pages the days leading up to the wedding while keeping emotion out of the equation, it’s when they start to really feel things that actually make them question everything.

Nate and Essie are so good together both in and out of the bedroom but they have a lot of healing to do individually before we can see a happily-ever-after for these two. It’s not an easy journey but the pain is worth it. Diving deep into their characters and seeing why they are the way they are pulls on your heartstrings and leaves you rooting for these two until the very end.

Though this is a standalone, I absolutely loved getting more of the characters I have met through the other books set in the HH hockey world. From the Toronto Terror series to the Tilton U series, these characters all make up a solid group of family and friends. Their love and support for each other feels real and I enjoyed getting more of their interactions.

I have to mention that I listened to the audiobook and it is wonderful. It was recorded with duet narration and that is quickly becoming my favorite type of audiobook to listen to. The narrators brought the characters to life and their different voices were unique to each character. I never questioned which character was talking and was able to see the story play out in my mind. Their voices drew me in and I easily felt the emotion they were trying to convey. They sounded light hearted when they were having fun but also devastated when they were heartbroken. I found myself reaching for the audiobook instead of the ebook because I wanted to hear their voices because they made the whole story more real.

This story follows Essie who was ghosted by Nate after sharing a kiss and now they must plan their friend’s wedding. This is part of the Toronto Tornado series but is also considered a standalone since the MCs are not hockey players. However, it’s best to read the previous books to understand this one. I really enjoyed this book, which was fun and cute. It’s perfect for the summer with all the resorts the characters went to. The writing was great, and I enjoyed the story however, I wish the story of Nate’s mom was more spread out instead of dropped at the end of the book. This book is told from both Essie and Nate’s pov.

Essie is a makeup artist and Rix’s best friend. I remember her from book 1 and was glad to read her story. I loved how confident and smart she is. I do wish we got to see more development of the mentions of how she wouldn’t be confident at times. Then we have Nate who is an engineer and Tristan’s brother. He had more background to his character that we knew about and I enjoyed seeing his development. There are many side characters in this book where we remeat the old couples and get to see Connor who I am excited to see in the next book. The romance is second chance and grumpy x sunshine which was well done. I loved the chemistry between the couple especially with how much they care for each other.

The ending was well done, and overall, I enjoyed the story. The ending opens up to who the next book will be about. I was happy that we got Tristan and Rix’s wedding and hopefully we get to see more. I enjoyed this book and I recommend checking out this series especially if you love hockey romances.

*this book was sent to me by the author to give an honest review in return*

There is nothing Essie wants more than to meet her Prince Charming but instead she always seems to end up with frogs and she believes that Nate is the same. Years earlier they shared one kiss that he has ignored ever happened since. Now she must join forces with him to ensure that the wedding of her best friend to his brother is the experience that the people they both love deserve.

Nate bears the emotional scars of his past and doesn’t believe in love or relationships however there is nothing he wants more than his brother’s happiness. Essie has planned everything to the last detail, and he is making it his mission to add his own influence which will not only lead to some funny situations but force them to face the feelings they have both tried to deny.

I enjoyed the development of both these characters as they take the necessary steps to fight for their love and each other. The narration by Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Peachwood doesn’t disappoint as they allow us to truly get to know the characters as they bring out all the heat, humor and emotion of the story.

Nate and Essie, oh how I loved every single second of their story.

Their story was such an entertainingly fun read! The banter. I loved how in between the quirky and laugh out loud humor, Helena blended some emotional feels in seamlessly. Getting to spend time with the Toronto Terror and BBB filled my heart. I love the little hints for future books that were dropped. The love obsessed woman and the guy who didn’t believe in love falling unbelievable hard truly made for the perfect love story.

Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood were absolute perfection!! They embodied Nate and Essie effortlessly!

Helena knows how to write a sweet love story!

I loved Essie and Nate’s story… and one we’ve been waiting for for a long time.

If you love grumpy x sunshine and second chance romances- pick this up!

The narrators were a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Thank you to Helena for this ALC!

Oh my gosh, fellow romance fanatics, if your heart beats for second-chance romance with a generous helping of witty banter and a delicious slow burn, then you absolutely need to get I Could Be Yours by Helena Hunting on your radar! Seriously, add it to your TBR right now.

Our delightful heroine, Essie Lovelock, is basically my spirit animal trying to be the perfect maid of honor. The only tiny hiccup? She's stuck in endless wedding festivities with the very same man who completely ghosted her six years ago after a kiss that was apparently, truly unforgettable. Gasp!

Just the setup had me completely hooked. We've got Essie, a self-proclaimed "reformed love-obsessed fairytale fanatic," forced into close quarters with the perpetually serious and seemingly love-averse Nate Stiles. Their initial dynamic is pure, unadulterated gold. Essie's internal monologue is an absolute riot as she hilariously tries (and bless her heart, often fails) to convince herself that she doesn't still think about that kiss or wonder what might have been. Nate, with his adorable "rain cloud personality," is the perfect grumpy-sunshine counterpart, and watching his carefully constructed walls slowly, agonizingly chip away is one of the most satisfying things ever.

Now, let's talk about the audio experience, because Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton as narrators? Chef's kiss! They bring Essie and Nate to life in the most perfect way, making every witty retort and every simmering glance practically jump out of your headphones. Their performances just elevate the whole story.

If you're looking for a book that will absolutely whisk you away with its engaging characters, electric chemistry, and a happily-ever-after that feels truly earned, then grab I Could Be Yours. It’s a fantastic choice for anyone who wholeheartedly believes in the magic of second chances, even when one of the characters is trying their absolute hardest not to! Trust me, your romance-loving heart will thank you.

Loved this one! This second chance romance had me staying up all night with the perfect mix of emotional depth and sexual tension.

The grumpy + sunshine dynamic is chef's kiss!
Helena really knows how to write that perfect balance where you're rooting for both MC's the whole time. And can we talk about how steamy this was?

All the heat without losing the emotional connection!

This romance hits all the right spots without being overly dramatic or angsty. Do yourself a favor and grab this one. Bonus points if it's the audio because the dual narration was absolutely perfect!

Narration:
Two of my favorite narrators! Both the male and female narrators were great and worked very well together

Description:
Essie is hell bent on planning the best wedding festivities for her bestie and won't let the best man Nate rain on her parade. After he kissed and ghosted her years ago she doesn't even want to give him time of day. But she can't deny she's still attracted to the grumpy hot nerd who doesn't believe in love. If she caves and indulges her lust maybe she can finally get him out of her system...

Review:
I shouldn't be surprised but this read truly brought me joy- it was open door sexy and the natural banter was deliciously snarky, making smirk and laugh on multiple occasions. It just might be my fave in the series so far!

This is a stand alone novel but it does refer to many of the couples from the previous novels in the series, so while u don't need to have read them, it definitely adds more to the experience to know all those backstories.

I love the found family vibes in this series and it stood just as strong as ever here. Nate was such a great guy in spite of himself and I think the author did a great job at naturally progressing his self awareness. It was sexy, light and fun with just the right touch of depth and dimension. The perfect summer/beach read if you ask me!

I Could Be Yours by Helena Hunting

Audiobook review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

What to expect

Grumpy/sunshine
Makeup artist x engineer
Forced proximity
Second chance
No strings attached

The narrators really brought this story to life. I really liked the tone of their voices and felt it added depth to the overall story.

Each book I’ve read in this series has been fantastic and this book is no exception. Essie is a complete sweetheart who is always judged by her appearance when there is so much more to her. Even Nate judged her and made assumptions which she proves to be wrong at every turn.

Nate is the best man to his brother who is getting married to Essie’s best friend. So there is a lot of forced proximity. Essie and Nate have a shared past that they didn’t tell anyone about. Essie and Nate are opposite in so many ways but their chemistry is hot!

Things heat up between them but then disaster strikes and it throws everything up in the air. Nate realises he has strong feelings for Essie but she tells him he is wrong. Nate then has to decide if his feelings are true and trust himself.

I highly recommend reading this book and series.

You’ll love this book if you like these tropes…♡

ꕤ 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 ꕤ

❥ Found Family
✿ Grumpy/Sunshine
❥ Forced Proximity
✿ Summer Vacation Vibes
❥ Second Chance
✿ It’s A Secret Until It’s Not
❥ Top Tier Banter
✿ Laugh-Out-Loud Moments
❥ Emotionally Charged
✿ Opposites Attract
❥ Rom-Com
✿ Sports Romance
❥ Hate-To-Love
✿ Enemies-to-Lovers
❥ Undeniable Attraction

Nate and Essie will capture your heart. Nate is Mr. Grumpy and Essie is sunshine and rainbows. The two couldn’t be more different than each other if they tried. These two are put as maid-of-honour and best man at Nate’s brothers and Essie’s BFF’s wedding. However, the two have met six years prior to the weekend but Nate ghosted Essie and they have both been avoiding each other ever since. But now there is nowhere to hide and they have no choice and are forced to spend time together. The two end up being in competition to be the best maid of honour and best man.

It was evident from the beginning that there was undeniable chemistry between the two of them. Nate has a past. He has a lot of flaws but he is learning to recognise the pain and where it’s coming from and that he needs to step up and take some accountability to better himself and his life choices and when he does, he will be ready to create an amazing, beautiful life with the girl of his dreams, Essie. Who he is now madly and deeply in love with.


I have been a fan of Helena Hunting for many years. Whenever I feel like a sport romance fix, she is one of my go-tos. She’s also one of the first authors I’ll recommend to someone if they enjoy sport/hockey romances. No one writes hockey romances quite like this author.
I am honestly in awe of her and her ability to create a world and characters you can’t help but love. I swear that she cannot write a bad book and she continues to prove that with every book she releases.


Nate and Essie’s story is one for the books! My heart has never been so happy and so full. This was an emotionally charged, insanely sexy, sizzling hot, second chance romance that will have you laughing, swooning and gasping from beginning to end.

Highly recommend this!

FIVE STARS
✰✰✰✰✰

Another Toronto Terror hit! Essie and Nate's story unfolds during Rix and Tristan's wedding. We get to revisit so many beloved characters and fall in love with them again! Essie is more than meets the eye. She has a heart of gold! Nate is broody, but charming. His emotional journey is heartwarming to follow. They compliment each other perfectly and I'm here for the chemistry!

The narration is absolutely perfect! We get an amazing representation of the dual POV between Essie and Nate! Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton did an incredible job representing the characters and their banter!

“Thank you for taking care of your heart so we can be good at taking care of each other’s.”

I Could Be Yours
Author: Helena Hunting
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Nate Stiles and Essie Lovelock’s paths have crossed before. They grew up in the same town and even shared a kiss once upon a time. But that kiss is what led to their now-sour attitudes towards each other, even six years later. After being ghosted, could you really blame Essie for her hurt feelings? Now forced together again, as the Maid of Honor and Best Man in his brother’s and her best friend’s wedding, the two have unsettled tension that quickly heats up. But will all that tension lead to her happily ever after?

I’ve been waiting for this story since the first awkward scene between Nate and Essie. Finally getting their full back story was everything imaginable and more. The complexity of their own individual histories but also their combined history, kept me on the will they won’t they ride from the first page. Nate’s broodiness paired with Essie’s bubbliness is the perfect combination for a true grumpy/sunshine trope. Very much a “no one else can have her, but I am also going to pretend I don’t want her” situation, which was so enjoyable to watch pan out. This was the perfect story to tie together all the intertwined connections between the Toronto Terror and Tilton University worlds, and it was so fun to have everyone in one story!

If you like:
Second Chance
Forced Proximity
Grumpy/Sunshine


Reviewed by: Karley🧡

This review was written by members of the Sporty Spice Book Club (sporty.spice.book.club on both Instagram and TikTok).

Loved this duet style with Teddy Hamilton & Savannah Peachwood. They captured the essence of Nate & Essie wonderfully.

I felt like this book was a love letter to the fans of HH’s Pucked & Terror series, but at the same time would be a good introduction if you’ve never read anything by Helena Hunting.

I very much enjoyed this book. Essie (FMC) & Nate (MMC) shared a kiss 6 years ago, and are now MOH (Rix-Essies BFF) & BM (Tristan-Nate’s Brother) wedding. They are both type A personalities, and competitive and want the best Trix & Tristan. Nate has a very negative view towards love, and while Essie believes in the fairy tale of love, she feels like everyone dismisses her as just another pretty face.

I love how HH writes friend groups, banter, spice & still manages to insert important, mental health tidbits about therapy. I also loved seeing some more of Conner being a good guy, as well as some more hints to Dred, Tally & Flip's future. Couple fun cameos of Brody, Cammi & Chase, Dallas from previous books.

I am a HH stan, and this book was no different.

Thank you HH for the ALC

If you love a second-chance, grumpy/sunshine romance with forced proximity and off-the-charts banter—I Could Be Yours delivers. Essie is a reformed fairytale addict trying her best to keep it together as maid of honor. Nate is the broody best man who ghosted her six years ago… and now they’re stuck planning a wedding together.

There’s dirty talk, piercings (hers 👀), dance lessons, and one seriously fun wedding week. We also get cameos from the Toronto Terrors universe—Rix and Tristan’s wedding sets the stage—and it’s a treat to see those familiar faces without them stealing the spotlight. All the cucumber references were a hoot! Nate and Essie’s quirks click perfectly, the banter kept me laughing, and when Nate finally lets his guard down the feelings hit hard.

The duet narration for the audiobook was exactly what I hoped for. Teddy Hamilton as Nate? Well, he always delivers and this was no exception. He brought all the broody tension, the vulnerability, and just the right edge of heat. And Savannah Peachwood was Essie. Her soft, slightly breathy tone matched Essie’s romantic, big-hearted vibe so well, and you could really feel her emotional highs and lows. Together, they brought the chemistry to life in such a natural way—I didn’t want to hit pause.

This is the kind of romance that’s fun, emotional, and full of tension in all the right ways. And that epilogue twist? I’m already counting down to see what’s next.

Thank you @helenahunting and @dreamscape_media for the #gifted ebook ARC and ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Audio review:

Narrated By: Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood

💒 Best Man/Maid of Honor
☀️ Grumpy/Sunshine
😜Annoyance to Love
💕Second Chance Romance
🫶🏼Hurt/comfort
🏆 Competition
❤️‍🩹Tortured Hero
🔱She’s Pierced

Oh my gosh, this was such a fun audiobook. I couldn’t stop listening once I started. All my favorite characters from past books were gathered for Rix and Tristen’s wedding. It was such a heartwarming reunion. Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton narrating in duet was a delicious bonus, the emotions and vulnerability this story pulled out of me had my heart bursting. I seriously could feel the heartbreak of both Nate and Essie and their past trauma coming forward through the narrators’ voices. The sexy flirting and genuine conversations, I ate all of this up! This book was sexy, funny, sweet, and genuine— a perfect summer book.

If you're in the mood for a romance that combines wedding chaos with unresolved feelings and a dash of unexpected charm, I Could Be Yours delivers all the swoony, exasperating, and ultimately satisfying moments you could wish for.

Helena Hunting delivers another heartfelt, slow-burn romance in I Could Be Yours, a story about what it really means to let someone in when your heart has been broken in all the wrong places. Essie is the eternal romantic. The woman who grew up watching her parents live out the kind of love stories you read in books. But real life hasn’t been so kind. Every frog she’s kissed hasn’t turned into a prince, and she’s starting to wonder if happy endings are just a myth. Nate Stiles, on the other hand, doesn’t believe in love at all. Burned by a mother who walked out and an ex who shattered what little trust he had left, Nate keeps people at arm’s length. Especially women like Essie, warm, kind, open-hearted, and everything he thinks he doesn’t deserve. When these two opposites are thrown together in the most romantic setting imaginable, preparing for a wedding between their best friend and brother, they strike a deal: a no-strings-attached, friends-with-benefits situation. But what starts as something simple quickly becomes anything but.

This story shines because of its emotional honesty. Nate is a deeply relatable hero, flawed, wounded, trying to protect himself from more pain. He confronts deep-rooted abandonment issues and realizes he is worthy of being loved, truly, fully, and without conditions. Essie is radiant and lovable, but her need for fairy-tale perfection hides real fears of rejection and being underestimated. For Essie, it’s learning that love isn’t always a fairytale wrapped in perfection, but rather a partnership built on trust, choice, and showing up, even when it’s scary. Together, they challenge each other, expose each other’s soft spots, and slowly and beautifully heal. What makes I Could Be Yours so compelling isn’t just the chemistry (though it sizzles), but the journey both characters take toward believing they’re worthy of love. Helena Hunting writes with her signature humor and warmth, but also digs deep into themes of abandonment, self-worth, and the messy, imperfect path to a real connection.

In conclusion, I gave this book 5 stars because Helena Hunting masterfully explores how two people with different emotional wounds can come together to build something unexpected and beautiful. With just the right blend of emotional depth, playful banter, and slow-burning heat, I Could Be Yours reminds us that the most meaningful love stories often begin in the unlikeliest of moments. It’s a heartfelt tribute to second chances, to rewriting your own narrative, and to the idea that sometimes, letting go of what you thought you needed makes room for exactly what your soul has been waiting for. You’ll turn the last page feeling warm, seen, and fully satisfied.

I need a galaxy's worth of stars to award this novel. I read this novel in both ebook and audiobook format. The audiobook was narrated in duet by Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood. These two are both so skilled, so believable, and so convincing that it was like actually experiencing the story's events in person. The secondary characters had recognizably different speaking voices as well, which makes the whole listening experience even more like being there in real life.
Ms. Hunting gave them an amazing story to work with. This novel has a large found family of team members, significant others, relatives, etc. established in earlier books of the series. I feel lucky that I had read the earlier novels, though this book completely works as a standalone. Nate and Essie are the "best people" for his brother's/her bestie's wedding. They have history, and aren't really looking forward to working together, but know they have to step up and do their best. Proximity leads to new attraction which leads to a very grown up romance (eventually). Both of them recognize their issues and do the work (eventually). This makes for a wonderful story full of great banter, sparkling chemistry, and some close encounters. I found myself almost jealous of these two (can one be jealous of fictional characters?) as they made the wedding events happen and found their way to each other. This novel certainly earned ever so many stars!
I was given an ARC and an ALC and volunteered to write a review.

***ARC/ALC Hybrid Review ***
I Could Be Yours by Helena Hunting
Narrated in Duet by Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood
Releases July 10th in all formats & free on KU!

Essie and Nate have a history and don't get along, but they've known each other since they were young and her best friend, Rix, is marrying his older brother, Tristan. They are the Maid of Honor and Best Man for the destination wedding in Aruba, so they're forced to work together on the pre-wedding functions and will be in close proximity for the wedding vacation.

The two bicker and push each others buttons constantly. And while they are insanely attracted to one another, they couldn't be more different. Essie is a make-up artist, and Nate is an engineer. She loves everything pink, princess, and fairytale, and he wears dark monochromatic clothes. She's sunshine & rainbows, and he's a human storm cloud. Essie believes in true love and happily ever after, and Nate doesn't believe in love.

But, the party planning shows Nate a side of Essie he's never seen before. She's not just the pretty face he and everyone else has always seen her as. She's organized, hard working, "math smart", and she can create a sexy spreadsheet. Turns out, they're both into Big Brains, and soon they're giving in to the tension and starting an F-buddies situation.

Essie knows better than to let her squishy heart feel anything for Nate after he kissed her then ghosted her 6 years ago, but Mr. Anti-Relationship/Love starts falling pretty quickly! His messed up family and relationship history has kept him from love and happiness, but maybe he's ready now... Or is it just the wedding magic in the air?

The tension, banter, and chemistry between Nate and Essie is amazing! They really are so good together, perfect for each other, if they can just get on the same page!

Although this is a standalone book, it does exist in the well-established Helena Hunting Universe. Rix and Tristan are the main characters in If You Hate Me, the first book of the Toronto Terror series, and many characters from that series make cameos in this book.

🎧Audiobook: Savannah and Teddy perfectly captured Essie's bright-eyed optimism and Nate's growly yet sweet nature. It was a great audiobook experience!

4.75⭐ 2.5🌶️

I received advanced copies of this ebook and audiobook, and this is my honest review. Thank you to Helena Hunting for the ARC! <3BBB

Ahh I love all the characters and all the things and yes! It was so great that this book was Tristan and Rix’s wedding. We got to see all our favorite past main characters including Kodiak and Lavender as well as previous amazing side characters like Hemi’s brothers. We’ve been watching Essie and Nate watch each other throughout the Terror books and it was just as explosive to watch them finally come together as you might’ve hoped. As usually reading one of Helena’s books makes me want to go back and reread them all.