Swoons, Scandals & Sticky Notes: Review of The Bleacher Report, by Kenna King

Book Review: My New Favorite Hockey Romance Just Hit Me Right in the Feels 🏒❤️

I’ve officially found my new favorite hockey romance—this book completely stole my heart from the very first page.

You all know I live for a good sports romance—but this one? This one completely stole my heart.

Let’s talk about the magic of Peyton and Hunter.

Peyton is a fierce, ambitious sports podcaster on the verge of her big break. All she needs is one impossible interview—with NHL star Hunter, a man who avoids the media like the plague. But when Hunter finds himself in need of a fake girlfriend to rehab his public image, the two strike a deal: she plays the role, and he gives her the exclusive. Obviously, what starts as a business arrangement turns into something so much deeper… and so much swoonier.

Now, let me just say: Hunter might be my new favorite book boyfriend. Broody and reserved on the outside, but underneath? Total softie. He’s thoughtful, protective, and quietly romantic in the kind of way that gives you butterflies. The man leaves sticky note scavenger hunts, bonds with her nephew, and makes it so clear he’s falling—and falling hard. I was obsessed.

And Peyton? She’s everything I love in a heroine: smart, driven, confident, and completely unafraid to go after what she wants. She holds her own in a male-dominated sports world, pushes back against the walls Hunter tries to keep up, and does it all with wit, warmth, and such grounded strength. Their banter is perfection, and their chemistry? Off. The. Charts.

This story gives all the best tropes—fake dating, forced proximity, slow-burn tension—and delivers them with so much heart. I laughed, I swooned, I blushed, and yes, I even got a little misty-eyed. Their connection is so natural and layered, and watching it unfold felt like being wrapped in your favorite cozy sweatshirt on a chilly night.

If you’re looking for your next bookish obsession—and you love sports romances with real emotional payoff, witty banter, and a hero who falls first—this is your next read. Trust me.

Special thank you to Chasing Books PR and Kenna King for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. You better believe I’ll be counting down the days until her next release.

✨ Add this one to your TBR, besties. You’re gonna fall hard.
📚 xx,
KJ
(@kristenbutcallmekj)