Series: Hockey Hotties #4
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Release Date: March 8th, 2022
But when I’m traded to the Florida Fury, where my ex–best friend is the starting right wing, I’m forced to confront my past. Ford and I have a lot of history, especially when it comes to his little sister, Imogen.
My heart still lurches in my chest when I see her.
My hands want to reach out and touch her.
My mouth wants to keep apologizing.
She’s the only woman who ever made me want more. But she’s also the one who fell victim to my most regrettable decision.
I’m not a believer in fate, but I must be back in her world for a reason. I’ve fought for everything I’ve gotten and I’m not backing down from what I know will be the best thing in my life.
I never thought I’d meet a hockey hottie that could overthrow Aiden Drake as my favourite Florida Fury player, but Piper Rayne went and created Warner Langley and now Aiden has been demoted to #2. I am loving this series so much and I love that every story not only introduces us to a whole new world of hockey, but it also gives us all of these familiar faces over and over again as we see them become families and so much more. Basically, reading the Hockey Hotties series is a balm to my soul.
Piper Rayne released Tropical Hat Trick, another novella featuring the heroes and their heroines for the next three books. You don’t have to read them to fully enjoy these books, but after reading Sneaking Around with #34, I am super curious about everything that went down, so I’m definitely going to pick that up before the next books release. Just know that they address a lot of what happens in that novella in as vague terms as possible, just to keep you interested!
Sneaking Around With #34 is a second chance, best friend/teammate’s sister romance that has a dash of angst, a whole lot of Piper Rayne humour and two incredible leads that made me laugh, smile and sigh a whole lot through the course of the book. Warner and Imogen are such great characters and I loved that their relationship wasn’t easy, but it was hard enough that you kept rooting for them from the start.
Warner, Imogen and Ford (from Faking It With #41) all went to a private school in New York together. Warner was the scholarship kid, brought in to play on the hockey team, but he never openly talked about it. In fact, he let everyone think he was from a wealthy family in the city and continued to live his life the best way he could. As Ford’s younger sister, Imogen’s been protected from everything and her brother keeps banning people from dating her. But Warner doesn’t heed that warning. Instead, the two of them fall in love and hold on for life till one incident rips them apart. Warner gets drafted into the NHL and he doesn’t see Imogen again till she arrives in Florida, to work with the Fury and taunt him by being everywhere.
I loved this book so much. I am always excited to hang out with the Florida Fury players because they seem to have so much to offer. Plus, Piper Rayne’s stories get me really excited and interested in hockey! As one of three new additions to the team, Warner is already getting the short end of the stick thanks to his messy history with Ford. But he’s one of the best players and a vital part of them winning the championship, except, Ford can’t get over his frustrations against Warner, adding unwanted pressure to the team in general. With Imogen around, that tension only grows stronger.
“I just want to be around you. I swear I was the best version of myself with you in my life.”
Their story is a delicious slow burn, because after all there’s so much for them to sort through. There’s all this history they need to navigate, apologies need to be made and conversations need to be had. But Warner and Imogen make it so easy for us to root for them every single minute of this story. I loved their chemistry and the ease with which they work together. As the teams ‘hype girl’, Imogen is crucial to making sure that their socials are updated and with Warner being everyone’s new favourite player, she’s forced to be around him. Which leads to awkward moments, great banter and a lot of sexual tension that you can cut with a knife. I really enjoyed seeing the two of them fight against everything they want and desire to focus on the job. I also appreciated just how focused Warner got when he realised that he needed to give Imogen time to get used to him again.
I’ll be honest, a lot of the time, I wanted to slap Ford because he was being such a pain in the ass with his feelings about Warner. But as someone who adores Ford, I forgave him for his behaviour at the end. Piper Rayne are so good at creating this brotherhood within the team and having multiple scenes where the guys are hanging out or interacting. Even when there’s a million people in a scene, I found myself enjoying the camaraderie and the banter between the boys. I’m also really curious about what’s going to happen with Cory and Kane, because their respective stories sound pretty crazy and awesome at the same time.
If you’re a fan of sports/hockey romances, with a huge helping of humour, open door scenes and great found family situations and scenes, then the Hockey Hotties books are for you. Piper Rayne have crafted an unforgettable and irresistible world with the Florida Fury and I cannot wait to see what else they have in store for us!
Thanks to Piper Rayne & Valentine PR for generously providing me with an advance copy. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
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