This was my first read by this author and it was totally amazing. I need more. I will definitely be reading other books from her.

Hayden Houston is breaking out of her good-girl mode with a one night stand. She thinks she's found the perfect man for the job.....too bad he ends up being an incredibly stubborn hockey player on her dad's NHL team. She spent her childhood being dragged from rink to rink by her hockey-coach father. So now she craves stability and is determined to get it, so imagine her surprise when the man who rocked her world happens to have the same frequent travel schedule she grew up with...and is equally determined not to lose her and their sizzling chemistry. Brody Croft is tired of one night stands and being seen for only his NHL jersey. And after a mind-blowing night in bed with Hayden, who doesn't seem to know who he is, he knows she's the one. Now all he has to do is convince her….

This is a fast, fairly light, and fun sports romance, The between-the-sheets action is hot and fun. The relationship between Brody and Hayden develops at a nice pace from a spicy fling to something deeper. This is a nice Saturday morning, huddled on the couch with a cup of coffee read. If you were team Rachel when it came to what you can and cannot do on a break, this might be the wrong book for you. Our FMC is on a break from the dude she's been talking to in California when she has her one night stand with Brody. But she is honest with both men that she is talking to both of them and she's only intimate with one of them. Since this is fiction and it's obvious Brody is her HAE it didn't really bother me, but consider this fair warning.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free early arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was spicy…like super spicy!

However I really enjoyed the storyline…is it the best book you will ever read??? No. Is it a quick read with a fun plot and storyline…oh for sure! A little predictable in certain areas, but overall a fun little spicy read

Elle Kennedy is truly the queen of hockey romance, so it was a delight to be able to see where it all began. I loved the fact that Brody very much so fell first and was intent on winning Hayden over after their steamy night together. It’s a change of pace to see the MMC fall first, loving the FMC out loud, and Elle handled it very well. As always with her books, Elle incorporated a deeper subject into the storyline, this time with Hayden’s father facing a game fixing scandal, and I like it really added a layer of intrigue to the story in a way that brought the characters together.

Hockey romance with the Coach’s daughter? Sign me up! I wish the story went more in depth into the investigation to add more build up, but it was still interesting and a cute read.

Thank you net galley for the e-arc!

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 3rd person POV
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: death of a parent (recounted), divorce, bribery, manipulation, cheating, illegal gambling, addiction (alcohol), getting involved while “on a break” but not officially broken up, mild slut shaming
standalone: yes
final thoughts: this one-night-stand turned fling turned love-of-my-life story was quick, entertaining, and now with added story and spice than the original publication!
Hayden and Brody were so great together and had good communication from day one (other than let’s not talk about our professions which… duh it’s a one-night-stand) and I loved how fast and hard Brody fell for the one woman who isn’t falling at his feet.
The banter was fun, the side characters were interesting, and the spice was spicy. It was so fun to read an update to an old Elle Kennedy story and see how far she’s come with her stories and female friendships within those stories!

read this book if you love

😬 angst
🤫 hidden secrets
🫡 big MMC
😳 forbidden lovers (player/coach’s daughter)
🍪cinnamon roll MMC
💘 instalust
😏 kinky (exhibitionism, light bondage)
🛏️ one night stand
😂 romcom
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
🧑‍🏫 teacher

Upon receiving this title I realized that I must have read it when it was previously published, but I was happy to revisit the story! Elle Kennedy is one of my favorites for sports romance and this didn't disappoint. The new cover art makes it fresh for a new audience and I appreciated the depth given to the characters by giving them "real life" struggles.

this one fell flat for me. i enjoyed the beginning but then i just got bored. i don’t think im a fan of one night stands turn into relationships…because then all the magic is kinda gone!

what i liked:
~the steamy scenes were really good. they were different than the normal ones and were kinda kinky too so that was interesting for sure.
~i liked Hayden’s personality she just seemed chill and i wasn’t annoyed by her or anything.
~the epilogue gave me more a look into their relationship and i enjoyed it the most out of the book!

what i didn’t like:
~did not care for Brody Croft. he felt like every other male character there was just nothing different about him that made him unique.
~too much discussion about it being “just a fling” it got too repetitive
~i didn’t feel a connection between the two characters! it felt like they only connected sexually. i didn’t see that connection until the epilogue.

you should read this if…
~you need a quick read
~like the one night stand trope
~enjoy good/kinda kinky steamy scenes (bondage)
~love hockey romance or elle kennedy!

I was in a reading slump when I picked up Elle Kennedy’s Body Check—she is my go-to author when I need a winner, and Body Check was a hit. Hayden Houston is taking time to figure out her future by visiting her dad. She’s determined to just have a fling, but hockey star Brody Croft knows there’s something more between them. But her dad owns the team, and scandal has hit the team, and Hayden isn’t sure she can handle the complicated chemisty between her and Brody. To be honest, this isn’t close to my favorite Elle Kennedy. Don’t get me wrong, the banter and steam and all her signature things are there, but I feel like what’s missing is some of the color she paints in her worlds. This one feels a little more narrow-focused, and maybe it’s because it’s an adult romance rather than a college setting that I was thrown off. Still, I liked the complexity of the characters. I was able to predict some of the scandal pieces early, but I still had a lot of fun. I do wish there were more moments of vulnerability between the two since it felt like their relationship relied heavily on the steamy parts. It is a spicy romcom with great characters and I loved the friendships and the romance throughout. Brody is such an alpha and he is cocky and genuine and I love how much he wants more with Hayden. And Hayden is so relatable and genuine. Their romance builds really nicely and it is a really fun read.

Hayley have a one night stand during her break with her boyfriend. But Brady become more than one night. He’s also a hockey player in her dad’s team, which is under investigation.
It was a quick read, nice but not a deep story. Perfect for someone who wants to go back into reading.

A spicy, fun read! Although I’m not a huge sports fan, Elle Kennedy always keeps me interested!! I may have read this in its original form.

The way I would do anything to get back into Elle Kennedy hockey romances? And this one was no exception. I had so much fun getting into this series and meeting these new characters! I love that this book really shows off the progression that Elle has made as a writer but also the queen of hockey romances.

Body Check was spicy, steamy, and so much fun to read. I literally couldn't put this book down. I love it so much & will definitely be picking it up again during playoff season!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

Thank you, Net Galley and the publisher, for an ARC of the rerelease of Body Check by Elle Kennedy. Based on the author's preface, I believe she has made some changes to the book, although I never read the first edition, so I’m not sure.

In the preface, Kennedy mentioned that this was her first book in the romance genre. I’ve read several of her other romance books, and I am thrilled she has continued this journey.

A few storylines were going on that intertwined. I loved the love story between Hayden and Brody. The playboy who wants to settle down and the woman looking for a serious relationship who is currently ‘on a break’ (all I could think about was Friends with that one and Ross yelling, “We were on a break!”). Their chemistry was hot, as were their steamy sex scenes. The storyline surrounding the craziness going on with Hayden’s father wasn’t as well developed as the love story, but it was still in the background.

Elle Kennedy is a wonderful author, and I can’t wait to read more of her books!

After a childhood spent being dragged around the country by her hockey coach father, Hayden Houston intends to take some time to figure out her future. Whether that future will include her currently off-again boyfriend remains to be seen. What it certainly won’t include is the for-one-night-only guy she just met at a bar.

It seems hockey star Brody Croft did not get the memo about being temporary. Big, bold and driven, he’s dedicated in everything he does. Up till now, that’s been his team—the one owned by Hayden’s dad. But his night with Hayden has sparked something he didn’t expect. The two of them are good together. Really good. There’s a connection he’s never experienced before, one he knows they’d be wrong to ignore. Even with a game-fixing scandal testing both their loyalties—to teammates, to friends…to family. Part of Hayden wants to turn tail and run. A complicated relationship with a bad boy hockey player is exactly what she never wanted. But when it comes to Brody, Hayden is realizing that people can be so much more than what they seem.

The queen of hockey romances strikes again! For the most part, I enjoyed this story. I enjoyed the chemistry between Hayden and Brody, and thought the contrived plot was fun. For me, this was just another hockey romance, though. Quick, enjoyable read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Kennedy, and the publisher for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Body Check follows Hayden, daughter of an NHL coach, and Brody, NHL player. The two spark quite the interest in one another after a hook up, but Hayden isn’t giving into the idea of more with Brody. Hayden and Brody quickly learn that they have a connection through Hayden’s dad, which brings some tension. Also bringing tension is Hayden’s dad’s divorce and some serious allegations.

I liked this. It’s not my favorite book by Elle Kennedy, but it was still good. I liked the added tension with Hayden’s relationship with her dad, but also with herself and her love life.

I found myself feeling like it was unnecessarily long. I probably wouldn’t re read it, but I did enjoy it.

Elle Kennedy readers will NOT be disappointed, and those new to Elle will love this book as well. Something Elle always nails on the head is chemistry and for this book it is off the charts. Definitely recommended for romance lovers

While this isn't my favorite book from Katherine Center, I still enjoyed it.
I wasn't vibing with Charlie at first. He came of rude and pretentious. The more I learned about him and his past though, his actions made so much more sense. 
I did, however, really like Emma, she has sacrificed so much for her family.  She's strong and tells it like it is. 
The two of them working together had me laughing. I didn't initially feel any chemistry between them, but it's definitely there. 
So glad I read this one.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's always fun to go back and read how an author started out. Elle Kennedy just shines through and through. Her books are sporty, spicy and enjoyable. Revisiting body check was nostalgic but some new upgrades too. Thanks NetGalley!

This was the perfect fast easy romcom with a side of spice for the sports romance fan. This was a typical Elle Kennedy book. Super cute, super spicy, and a great storyline. Her characters always have a lot of depth to them which makes them easier to like. I highly recommend checking this one out!

A special thank you to NetGalley, Elle Kennedy, and Harlequin-Romance for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A perfect fun, quick, heated sports romance. The spice level is off the charts. I absolutely loved the epilogue!