When a video of Ice Knights hockey players running their mouths off go viral, Caleb is forced to take responsibility as the senior player. He needs his image to be fixed and the best way to do that? To participate in a brand new dating app where users' parents get to pick their dates. And Caleb's mom ends up picking Zara as his date. The dating app requires that Caleb and Zara go on a total of five dates. For their own benefit, the two mutually reach an agreement to pretend to date and their number one rule — no real dating.

As an athlete hero, Caleb was actually very unconventional. He's not a household name, neither is he a womanizer. In other words, Caleb was an absolute breath of fresh air! I totally expected him to be a cocky hockey player, but he was the total opppsite. Zara herself has a pretty unconventional job as a miniature artist. Caleb and Zara are total opposites in terms of physicality and personality. But there are so many sparks between this unlikely couple and they surprisingly get along so well. The chemistry, the banter, and the unconventional "fake" dates were EVERYTHING!!

Parental Guidance was such a blast to read. I giggled, chuckled, swooned, and laughed out loud multiple times. Avery Flynn has totally made her way into my list of sexy-and-funny-rom-com authors. I'm excited to see where this series goes! There's a fantastic set of hockey players waiting to get their HEA!

P.S. I'm dying to read Tomboy now because it's about Fallon and Zach, who's supposed to be a grumpy ass hero.

Parental Guidance

***received a review in exchange for an honest review***

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Avery Flynn never disappoints with her books and Parental Guidance is on point. Zara is sassy and speaks her mind, while Caleb is sexy and all heart. Together they seem like an unlikely couple but they compliment one another and are able to see one another in ways others can’t. Avery Flynn keeps you invested in what will happen next between these two and there is never a dull moment. I can’t wait to see what happens next with the Ice Knights!

Caleb has just gotten in trouble with not only the team but with most of the population of Harbor City. Now to make sure that everyone knows he has made a mistake and is changing, he is letting his mom chose his date from an app and hopefully everyone will change their mind about him. But what he wasn’t expecting was who his mom set him up with.

Zara is consumed with her work, she does miniatures and is hoping that the right people will see her work and take her to the next level. So when her best friend sets her up with a dating app she doesn’t know what to expect but Caleb is not what she would have chosen.

As they set ground rules for their relationship and make sure that one another knows that nothing will go past the 5th date, they find that maybe spending time with one another isn’t so bad. But will they be able to change their arrangement?

And when it comes time for a 5th date will they take the plunge and go on the 5th date? Or will they deicide that maybe they want to reconsider their rules and give each other a chance?

No good can come from letting your parent(s) run your dating profile and choosing who you date - or can it?

Caleb, a hockey player on the Ice Knights team, is about to find out. In a PR experiment to bring some Ice Knights hockey players back into the good graces with the public, Caleb finds himself on the receiving end. Caleb must partner with a dating app and let his mom control his profile. She also gets to choose his date. Fortunately, it is only for five dates then he and the woman chosen are free to move on with life. Caleb is not excited about the plan but too much is on the line to not listen to his PR agent, coach, and mother.

Zara, in an alcohol-induced don't-care night with a friend, creates a profile on a dating app. She had no idea she was going to be paired with a hot hockey player. Regardless, Zara has rules they are going to follow to get through their five dates. Rules that, as time goes on, Zara and Caleb aren't sure they want to continue to follow. A relationship was not in the plans.

I love Zara and Caleb's story. Two unlikely people brought together in a fun and entertaining story with realism and emotion. I enjoyed how both characters danced around each other in a slow-burning romance. Neither person was looking for anything long term; the entire dating app situation was a means to an end. Fate, however, had other plans.

Avery Flynn is a wonderful storyteller with unique characters, themes, and settings. Her stories pull you in and keep you thoroughly engaged and entertained. I enjoyed Parental Guidance and can't wait for book 2; the teaser at the end of Parental Guidance pulled me in, hook-line-and-sinker.

Fake relationships might be one of my favorite tropes in romance. It’s got a little of a forced proximity vibe, with characters pretending to be in love in order to achieve some other goal, and watching the characters realize they actually do have feelings for each other is always so satisfying! Parental Guidance checked all of the boxes with things I love with fake relationships!

This was my first Avery Flynn and it did not disappoint!! As I was reading, I immediately wanted to start one of her other books, Tomboy. Parental Guidance is the first of her new Ice Knights series, and a bit of a spin off from Tomboy. Even though I hadn’t read any of her other books, I was immediately smitten with the characters in Parental Guidance!

There’s nothing I love more than a female character that can hold her own, but is also quirky as hell and Zara is exactly that! Zara is a miniatures artist, as the daughter of a teddy bear artist who grew up going to doll and bear shows, I LOVED that this was Zara’s profession (Swipe to see some of the critters that I grew up around. My mom made the two bigger ones!) Her mentality of needing to take care of everyone while also keeping her artist career afloat was very relatable. And I was obsessed with her dog, Anchovy!

Caleb was also a fantastic character, I loved that his mom was a well-known female hockey coach. I will say there’s one aspect of Caleb’s character that is revealed about half way through, and it got me right in the feels 😭 I loved the concept of family members picking who they would date, it was such a fun twist to the dating app scenario. And the chemistry between Zara and Caleb was so good 🔥🔥🔥 Flynn knows how to write some damn good banter and steam!

Overall, I absolutely loved this story! Parental Guidance was a 4 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me! I highly recommend checking this one out if you’re a sucker for fake relationships

"Parental Guidance" is the first book I have ever read by Avery Flynn, but it definitely won't be the last. The cover and description really drew me in, and I couldn't wait to read it. It turned out to be a sweet, funny, and sexy story with endearing, well-developed characters that I loved. It might have been helpful for me to have read Flynn's Hartigans series first since there seems to be some overlap with the characters, but I didn't feel lost at all without the additional background those books may have provided.

I'm not usually a fan of sports romances (or much of a hockey fan in general), but this book was so well-written and engaging that I didn't mind the sports element. Hockey was a big part of Caleb's life and the overarching story without being overwhelming or confusing for someone like me, who doesn't have much knowledge of the sport. There were no drawn-out descriptions of practices or games, just enough details about Caleb's training regimen and travel schedule to make me understand what his life was like, and how it would impact his potential romantic relationship with Zara.

I thought that the idea for the dating app, which integrated insight and advice from users' parents, was very unique and interesting, though it was somewhat unclear to me if parents and post-date conversations/videos were always a part of the process, or if they were just part of the publicity campaign set up by Caleb's team to draw attention away from the viral video. Either way, Zara and Caleb's parents ended up playing very important roles in the story, which I enjoyed. Zara's father, in particular, added a lot of humor and heart, as well as important insight into Zara's childhood and character.

Overall, much like Caleb's Ice Knights, "Parental Guidance" is a winner! I highly recommend "Parental Guidance" and can't wait to see what the next book in this series brings.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Caleb has been roped into using a dating app by his mother to get us of a PR nightmare. Zara has been roped in to the dating app by her best friend. Neither are happy to be doing this but after they meet Zara and Cable agree to continue the required five dates to get it over with. Of course, as with any rom com there plans fail spectacularly.

Caleb and Zara were very likeable characters. I didn’t get why they had to stick to the rules so hard. But I also didn’t think Caleb’s viral flub was that big of a deal. I also felt like things with Zara’s issues weren’t really resolved very well.

Parental Guidance was a cute and fun rom com. If you are looking for light this is what you need. I have to say this isn’t my favorite, but I enjoyed it.

Who doesn’t love a great sports romance? I know I do. Zara & Caleb’s story was a great hockey romance!

Zara & Caleb had some great banter! I loved how they challenged each other. Zara & Caleb brought out the best in each other. I just loved how their relationship flowed from five dates into so much more.

I look forward to more by Avery Flynn!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

After reading her previous series, I was excited to be able to read this book, Parental Guidance. It certainly did not disappoint and I so enjoyed it. It made me laugh in parts and made me sad in parts. Great story.

This book had such a perfectly hilarious and adorable meet-cute. The banter, the situations, all of it were so much fun! I couldn't help but really fall in love with both main characters as well as the side characters that helped to make everything happen. Like I loved Zara's dad and his little commercials he wrote for different companies and schools, etc., whenever he would go on the interviews about Zara and Caleb's dates. I had a little trouble at times getting Caleb's mom, but I did like how she could tell that really he was interested in Zara. And I also liked that Caleb was pretty good at dealing with stuff with Zara because of his own family full of sisters.

Technically this is the second book I've read or started to read by this author. I tried to listen to Butterface on audio, and I don't know if was the narrators or the way the author writes, but I had trouble keeping my attention with the audio. But I now know that I do like to actually read her books, and will continue to do so in the future!

While reading this book be prepare laugh and feel good! Avery Flynn delivers all the smexy, fuzzy feel-good that I was hoping for. Smart, sexy, and thoroughly entertaining with a huge range of colorful side characters, Zara and Caleb’s story proved to be a thrilling ride. I was so excited and could not wait for this book – Ms. Flynn definitely did not disappoint. Another truly amazing story from Ms. Flynn!

I was thrilled that the Ice Knights get their own series after being introduced to them in Tomboy. Parental Guidance kicked off an amazing series with the usual sweet, funny rom-com that Avery Flynn is famous for. It has everything that I love – a sassy heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, witty banter, sweet romancing, and rules that are meant to be broken. I loved this easy and quick read which is perfect for a lazy day under the summer sun.

Caleb has been focused on his career as a defenseman for the Ice Knights and isn’t looking for love or a relationship. When a faux pas goes viral even though Caleb wasn’t part of the problem, he also wasn’t part of the solution, so he finds himself taking one for the team. He now needs to improve his image and that means agreeing to five dates with the same woman that his mother has chosen for him using the dating app Bramble.

Zara is determined to ensure the success of her miniature business and that means working long hours. In order to get her best friend to stop complaining about how she is all work and no play she agrees to take part in the Bramble dating app with her potential date being chosen by her father.

When Zara and Caleb started the five dates they were doing it to appease the people in their lives and just wanted to put in their time and be done but sometimes the best things in life happen when you least expect them.

Zara is feisty and fiery while there is so much more to Caleb than first appears. Hot chemistry and humorous banter add up to a winning combination.

Avery Flynn writes a fantastic hockey rom com with Parental Guidance. Zara and Caleb are blackmailed into trying this new dating app. Caleb’s mother is definitely involved in this scheme and is a fun character. Caleb just has to make it through five dates with Zara. Zara has never experienced certain things with a man before and this is what really turns Caleb on and he can’t quit thinking about her no matter how much he’s annoyed by her. Avery Flynn writes great characters that have personalities that you just want to know more about and this is why I love her series and you will love this book. It will have you laughing and wanting more.

This series is off to a great start! Five dates, fun, and no feelings right? I loved Caleb and Zara and every bit of their road to love. Parents, friends, teammates, banter and chemistry make this a great must read!

Tons of laugh out loud fun, wonderful snark, sass, and witty banter along with a good amount of sizzling sexy times. Yep I'm reading an Avery Flynn book and it's great! Caleb just wants to play hockey but trouble just seems to find him. He's dealing with a PR nightmare when his hurricane of a mom comes into town adding even more chaos to his life. Before he knows what hit him she has him signed up to an online dating app. Nothing can go wrong with this idea right???? Zara can't believe she agreed to this crazy dating plan but here she is so let's get this done. Five dates is all she needs. Surely she can handle five dates. There is no way hearts will get involved in that short amount of time. Yeah, right!

For a fun entertaining read grab this one and get ready to laugh and swoon. I definitely recommend it.

Reading the review had me chuckling. It sounded like a right laugh .....

Caleb is in deep bother, it wasn’t really him, but he should have stopped it. His team mates were moaning about the team, the lack of female groupies “puck bunnies” and everything else. Someone posted it and it’s gone viral, and now people are lip reading and posting what they said. It’s a PR’s nightmare...... they need to limit the damage the team have done to the image. And Caleb is going to have to step up and create a new interest for the fans.

Zara makes models, she has a shop on Etsy, but she wants to create one off’s, and show her work in a gallery, so Zara needs publicity. So when her friend puts her on a dating site, a drunk Zara thinks it’s a good idea. Until she meets her “date”......

Together they have to “survive” five dates, those dates are to be public and then will go online. Easy ......
Except there is a problem, Caleb finds the more time he spends with Zara, the more time he thinks of doing naughty and none public things with her, it’s not in the contract, but he really wants more. And Zara wants the publicity for her art work, but being around Caleb is bad for her libido, she wants Caleb, but wanting and having is two different things.

It’s a fun read, laughing at the hilarious predicaments they find themselves in. The characters are likeable, and the situation they find themselves is hilarious, the research the author put in was shown with great enthusiasm, I could almost see myself there.

🦋

When parents became the matchmakers in charge of your dating life, you know something went wrong.
When you are a famous hockey player who needed to clean the mess part of team made and sacrifice yourself by doing what the PR wanted, well you know this is bad.
When your best friend made your online dating profile with such a straightforward description of yourself, you don’t know who you’re going to meet.
Mostly, parental Guidance is in order!

Zara and Cole were thrown into the experience of online dating but only with a little glitch; to report all their dates on TV, with their parents.
Here comes the trouble… by trying to make an arrangement; five dates that’s all, they finally found that it would be more at stake and maybe left heartbroken in the end.
I appreciated seeing some of my favorite characters and also meeting new ones. Cole and Zara’s upfront personalities was quite refreshing,
It was fun, sweet and entertaining!

What a great start to Flynn's new Ice Knights series! After Caleb was caught up in a PR nightmare for his team, he takes responsibility and agrees to allow his Mom/manager pick a date for him. The idea is to show that he is a team leader and respects women. Zara has been talked into participating by her best friend and also her dad. Zara is a miniature artist who is straightforward, honest and unapologetic. She isn't looking for a relationship and neither is Caleb. They set rules for their dates that they will have fun, no intimacy and they will separate after last date. But the more dates they go on the more they realize they are perfect for each other. They have an easy and fun rapport, are both competitive, and their chemistry is palpable. But Zara is used to being in control because every man she has relied on has let her down. How can she trust that sexy Caleb, who travels so much with his team, won't leave her as well. This sweet, and steamy romance was so heartfelt and fun. Flynn has a wonderful way of creating fun and quirky characters, snarky humor, and lots of steamy sexual tension in a heartwarming story. I also loved getting to know more of the Ice Knights hockey team, who give each other a hard time but are totally loyal and supportive. This promises to be a romantic, sexy and entertaining series and I can't wait for more from these hockey Hotties!

I received this book as an ARC in return for an honest review.

Writing Style Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟
Storyline Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Hero:🌟🌟🌟🌟
Heroine :🌟🌟🌟🌟
Chemistry between h/H:🌟🌟🌟🌟
Smut Factor:🌟🌟🌟
Overall Thoughts:🌟🌟🌟🌟

I first found Avery Flynn when I ran across her book Butterface. I fell in love with her witty but emotional writing style and how she wrote something that made me cry but made me laugh in the best way possible too. So when I saw a sign up for Parental Guidance, I jumped on it.
The idea of a single adult man forced to have his mother pick his dates via a dating app was a refreshing and fun storyline. I loved Caleb and Zara together; they were different but had great chemistry. Parental Guidance is adorable read that makes you smile from beginning to end. I keep coming back to Avery Flynn and she hasn't disappointed yet.

Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn was a fun and adorable read. What would you do if your mom had taken over your dating app? Caleb, an Ice Knights veteran player, gets himself in a situation that goes viral which requires an image change from his team. That is how he meets Zara Ambrose. Now they find themselves with a plan. Five dates and then they go their separate ways. Easy, right?

I loved Caleb and Zara so much. They were great together and I loved their interactions. Neither was looking to get into a serious relationship but plans never go as planed! Caleb was strong and determined and loved hockey. That was his priority until Zara entered his life. Zara was strong and full of sass. I enjoyed reading Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn and look forward to reading more of this series.