This grumpy sunshine story was delightful and a fun addition to the "Love in Maple Falls" series. The plot was well-paced and the characters were charming and witty. This is definitely one I'll read again! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

This was a cute one. I liked the auction for the guy, that was a cute scene. It's just over 200 pages so it's a quick read and a nice cozy book.

I love book 1 of Maple Falls series that I was excited to jump into book two.

I enjoyed Asher's part in book one, so I excited to read his story. Anne Kemp's writing style is enjoyable to read. This book is light on the spice, but with the sweet, funny, and cute moments I didn't miss it.

This series is a great Fall read if anyone wants to get cozy in the reading chair with a blanket. Drink some coffee and laugh.

Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Rom-Com
MC Golden Retriever
FMC Grumpy Sunshine
Forced Proximity

3.5 rounded up to 4
Once again, I didn't quite feel that the characters were falling in love. I wanted them to have more time together on page falling for each other. I felt most of the time was spent avoiding each other.

I did LOVE the gesture at the end of the book. It had serious Rom-Com vibes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp

From page one, Checking Mr. Wrong wrapped me in cozy, golden-hour autumn vibes—crisp air, warm drinks, and that spark of possibility you only get in fall. Anne Kemp’s writing is witty and heartfelt, with banter that actually crackles and chemistry that feels earned. I adored the dynamic between the leads: they’re perfectly imperfect, vulnerable in all the right ways, and their growth never gets lost under the swoon. The small-town setting is irresistibly charming (hello pumpkin-spice everything), and the supporting cast adds just the right amount of humor and heart. It’s romantic, uplifting, and delightfully bingeable—the kind of story that leaves you smiling into your scarf. Truly amazing, and absolutely a new comfort read. 🍁

This is a cute non spicy small town romance. The mental health representation is great in this book and the way the characters all are willing to help the MMC work through his triggers is great. The OCD does not take the focus away from the story but adds to the character development. I like that the series is different couples but takes place all at the same time so you get different points of view during the same time frame. The book and the series is definitely a cozy fall read with a cute love story and great characters.

I’m sarcasm with a messy bun. He’s a sweetheart with a slapshot. Sparks were one thing—those fireworks, though? Yeah…no one warned me about those.
Mabel
Returning to Maple Falls wasn’t part of my five-year plan—or my backup plan. Or any plan, really. But here I am, back in my quirky hometown, dodging my mother’s judgment and trying not to cringe every time someone mentions the viral moment. (Yes, that one. No, I don’t want to talk about it.)
Loved it cant wait for the next book

This was a really cute, fall setting read, perfect for this time of the year. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review.

This was such an easy, fun read—I flew through it! The banter between Mabel and Asher kept me hooked, and I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic woven with all the small-town quirks of Maple Falls. The chemistry was spot-on, with plenty of sparks and those “fireworks” moments that caught me off guard in the best way.

I haven’t read the first two books in the series yet, but now I definitely want to go back and catch up. While I wished for just a little more depth in certain parts of the story, overall it was a heartwarming and entertaining romcom that left me smiling. Perfect if you love hockey romances with humor, charm, and plenty of swoon!

4.25/5⭐️

Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp is a delightful small-town hockey romance that had me laughing, swooning, and smiling from start to finish. Mabel McCluskey, a sharp-tongued sports reporter, returns to Maple Falls to cover the town’s new NHL team, the Ice Breakers, only to cross paths with Asher Tremblay, the golden retriever–energy rookie who immediately gets under her skin. Their flirty, sarcastic banter is a highlight—opposites really do attract here!

What makes this romance stand out is how Kemp thoughtfully explores Asher’s OCD. His struggles are portrayed with care and realism, and Mabel’s supportive, non-judgmental attitude makes their connection feel genuine and heartwarming. Beyond the romance, the story touches on family, small-town dynamics, and personal growth, giving it depth while remaining lighthearted and fun.

“Maybe you’re not as wrong for me as I thought.”

From the cozy Maple Falls setting to the charming hockey backdrop, this book hits all the right notes for a feel-good romcom. If you enjoy witty banter, reverse grumpy/sunshine dynamics, small-town charm, and thoughtful character development, Checking Mr. Wrong is an absolute must-read.

🏒 Hockey romance
💛 Neurodivergent representation
😂 Humor and heart
💌 Slow-burn romance

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

Wow what a great book! I really enjoyed the premise of this book. The characters are great. I even enjoyed the secondary characters. The writing style was great and this really was an easy read. It had meek hooked from page one. I don't always have a hard time putting books down but this one had me..lol. I highly recommend this book if you are in a reading slump. This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last. I loved this romcom!!!

This book has such a cozy and heartwarming feel to it! The main characters are absolutely adorable, and it was easy to root for them throughout the story. The atmosphere feels comforting, like slipping into a warm blanket, which makes it a perfect pick for a quiet afternoon or evening read. Readers who enjoy gentle, feel-good stories with sweet characters and a comforting vibe will likely find this a delightful book!

Sports reporter falls meets hockey player and falls in love. This books takes place in Maple Falls home of Ice breakers hockey team every cinnamon spice everything. I didnt realize this was part of a series at first, but its easily read as a standalone. No issues keeping up. Although now, i want to read the others. This is a fun, rom com read about falling in love and realizing theres no place like home!.

I liked Asher and Mabel’s story. It was sweet but not without some trials and tribulations. The ending was great, with a terrific happily ever after. This is the second book in this series that I’ve read and, while they’ve been from different authors, I think they’ve both brought something to the table. 5 stars!!

DNF @ 64%

I unfortunately didn’t connect with this book. I was interested in the romance aspect but found that with how short of a book this is that it was just too slow paced for what I enjoy. I requested it thinking it would be a cute little small town read with a bit of some tension and romance build up but it was just a bit too slow for my liking it’s how far into I got.

I would definitely recommend this for someone who loves a very slow small town romance but who also loves that “Gilmore Girls” vibe with a flare of a hockey trope.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC. This is the 3rd book in the Love in Maple Falls series, and it did not disappoint! Our FMC, Mabel, is on the way to her hometown to write a sports piece on the local NHL team. First of all, coming from a comms/media major, I LOVED to see reporter/writer representation AND females in the field, as I feel it is not seen enough. Our MMC, Asher, is a Canadian hockey player and newbie on the team she's writing her piece on. She meets him at the airport before she gets to the rest of the team, and he wants to get to know her better (EEEEEK!!!) Mabel gets loads of attention in the town due to something she did on live TV (dramaaaa), and she finds herself dreaming of Asher while trying to do her job. Overall LOVED the fall vibes in this one, and I also will always eat up a hockey romance!!!

4 Star Review Checking Mr. Wrong (Love in Maple Falls #3) by Anne Kemp

Set in Maple Falls, Washington this is Mabel and Asher’s story which drew me in with characters you cannot help but fall for.

This was an entertaining, well written story that ticked numerous boxes for me. It was a witty, fun book with characters whose story you cannot help but be drawn into.

When Mabel returns home to Maple Falls the last thing she expects is to fall for hockey player Asher.

Neither of them were looking for love and yet they cannot ignore the attraction that sizzles between them.

A feel good story that left me with a smile on my face. I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

It was okay. There 100% could have been so much more to this story! It lacked the detail that it needed, it spent more time focusing on the fact that it was a small town called maple falls rather than describing the characters and building an emotional connection to them. It also time jumped constantly, you would only get one POV of an event and then the next chapter you are somewhere completely different. It’s a fast and easy read, took me 5 hours to get through it, definitely a great book for if you are just starting to read but compared to other small town romance books it just lacked the emotional connection to the characters and the build of the romance between the MC’s. It was all very rushed.


TikTok review will be filmed and edited on the 1st September and either posted same day or day after

I've read all of the Maple Falls books, and since these are all by different authors, some are better than others. The last one I read was my least favorite of the series, but this one is much better. I really, really like Asher and know he is a complex character. Mabel is too, I just really didn't like her as much and certainly thought Asher could do better. It was still good writing and I enjoyed the story, but only a 3 3/4 stars rounded to a 4. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Checking Mr. Wrong is the third story in the Love in Maple Falls hockey-themed romantic comedies series. The series is connected to 2024’s popular Love on Thin Ice series, which was also set in Maple Falls, Washington. Both series contain connected stories by various authors; each book can be read as a stand-alone. All stories in both series are closed-door romances that don’t contain any sex, violence, or profanity.

Mabel McCluskey left her hometown of Maple Falls, Washington for the bright lights of New York, primarily to get away from her overbearing mother. Unfortunately, her sports broadcasting career came to a screeching halt when she dumped a bucket of cold water on her cheating boyfriend. Now she’s returning home with an assignment to cover the NHL’s newest team, The Ice Breakers. She has a run-in with a luggage cart-stealing man at the airport and then discovers that he’s a professional hockey player when they share a ride to Maple Falls.

Asher Tremblay transferred to the new Ice Breakers hockey team in tiny Maple Falls, Washington and is equal parts excited and nervous about a fresh start. He’s a very talented defenseman who struggles with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Mabel is really grumpy to everyone, and Asher seems to especially get on her nerves. His golden retriever personality rubs her the wrong way until she notices his efforts to manage his OCD. Then she warms up to him. They work together to save the town of Maple Falls, in addition to her covering the team to get her journalism career back on track. The biggest conflict is that Mabel’s time in Maple Falls is limited, and Asher has to convince her to stay.

Checking Mr. Wrong is the first story in the Love in Maple Falls small town hockey romcom series to include a main character with mental health issues. I’m a Pollyanna personality so I had trouble relating to Mabel’s grumpiness. However, I appreciated how she supported Asher. I believe that this story will be a favorite of readers who prefer characters with realistic problems. It’s definitely a more character-driven story than action-oriented, and the chemistry is good between Mabel and Asher.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Red Bird Publishing for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.