I enjoyed this book from the moment Lainey fell into Rook's lap to the very end. There are several fun and sexy moments in this story of second chances. I was laughing, swooning and there was a certain character I wanted to knock out of the way. Helena Hunting always leaves me looking forward to more.

I was head over heels for this book almost immediately!! Seriously I loved every second of RJ and Lainey. RJ has such a protective, but not overly was with Lainey and it is just so sweet. He is such a good guy and you really see that in the way he cares for her. Lainey is adorable and I love that she is sweet and cute, but she is still strong. Their chemistry oozed off the page and I was pulled into their relationship so much. I loved the way the book was set up and the way their storyline played out.
I loved the little glimpse of the Pucked gang and I was just giddy. I am so excited to see how this new hockey world expands and this first book could not have kicked it off better!

3.5 STARS

A Lie for a Lie wasn’t a totally disappointment, but it also didn’t meet my high Pucked series spinoff expectations. I really wanted to laugh. There were a few moments, but overall I didn’t laugh enough.

I did love the small glances of old favs. I enjoyed the characters. I also felt like the heroine was one big contradiction. All the pieces were cool and interesting, but sometimes they didn’t fit the puzzle. Trigger warning: a shooting is mentioned briefly.

Overall it was an ok read. I’m still looking forward to A Favor for a Favor. It is coming out this January.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

I love the hockey world Helena created with the Pucked Series. Though this is a stand alone from those books, I was happy to see some familiar faces in A Lie For A Lie. Rook and Lainey's story is just as magical. I love it when an author writes a man vulnerable. Rook is no exception. The missed opportunities in the book, and the way fate brings them back together...So good!! I actually read this twice in a row, and I cannot wait for the audiobook.

It's been quite a while since i've read one of Helena's stories and i'd almost forgotten just how good her writing can be. She has this knack for writing about wonderful characters that easily play off of each other, she gives us plenty of romance, fun and the odd comic moment that add up to give an all round enjoyable and satisfying read.
A Lie for a Lie was such a great story featuring RJ (Rook) and Lainey. They had a great connection and a romance that burned slowly at first but soon became a full on inferno. I really enjoyed the banter between them, it was hilarious and the journey they must take to get to their HEA was at times a little sad and intense, but i'm a drama girl and it kept the story interesting and gripping to read.
What more can I say than I loved it, every page was an absolute pleasure to read and I will be looking out for more books in this series as they release.

DNF @ 30% this book felt all over the place and the insta-love just wasn’t for me. Chemistry felt forced and unrealistic. Wasn’t a fav.

From the woman who brought us the Pucked Series, once again she brings us a new stand-alone series, All In. Of course, it's about a hockey player! This outstanding story will have you wanting more, more about characters that have us so enthralled and invested in their story that you feel like a participant in their lives rather than just a reader. Hope you enjoy this story as much as I did!

RJ (Rook) is an NHL team captain who lives in Chicago. Once a year, he takes a trip to rural Alaska to reset & escape from all the craziness (and puck bunnies) that come with his job. On his way, he meets a beautiful woman, Lainey, who literally falls into his lap on the plane. They realize that their cabins are close to each other, and end up spending a month in Alaska in pure bliss. When he is called away on a family emergency, he realizes he has no way to contact Lainey, and is heartbroken.
Flash forward to a year later - Lainey & Rook find each other again, but both have changed & have things that they're keeping from each other. Rook never told her who he really was, and Lainey has a big secret. Will they be able to reconnect & fall in love again? Or was their month in Alaska just that - a temporary relief from everyday life?
I love Helena Hunting, and I just love the way that she writes romance novels. I haven't read the Pucked series yet, but I know that this is a spin off & features a lot of those characters. I really enjoyed reading Rook & Lainey's story, and I loved how they worked through real life when they reconnected (it seemed very realistic). I always enjoy a good hockey romance, and I'm really excited to see how this series continues!

From the highly loved Pucked series comes a new generation of hockey players to fall in love with. A Lie For A Lie is everything wonderful that Helena Hunting creates with her writing!!

We meet Rook Bowman, the captain now of the Chicago hockey team, for those of you familiar with the Pucked series, yes we have moved ahead a few years, but I assure this is a complete standalone. So while Alex has retired and most of the beloved players have families that you will meet, catch up with, and laugh right along with, you do not have to have read any of the prior books in order to enjoy this story.

We really begin the story of Rook, or RJ as we get to know him throughout the story, and Lainey in Alaska. Lainey is headed there to finish her third master's degree, she's a total brainiac and not into sports whatsoever. RJ is headed there on his yearly fishing trip away from the media, paparazzi, puck bunnies, and most of civilization. He finds Lainey freshing that she doesn't know a thing about him so he leaves out the teeny tiny fact that he works for the NHL. It's not really a lie, but more of an omission, and blatant steer of conversation when she asks what he does for work, but aside from that....he can't help but be enamoured by her and their chemistry is off the charts. When he has to suddenly leave, he hates the fact he never hears from her again. Could he have misread the signs? When destiny places her in his path once more he knows he can't lose her again, but he's floored to discover she may have been keeping an omission of her own.

Lainey is away from pretty much everyone she knows for the first time in her life and the gorgeous man who has graciously helped her more times than really should be necessary, well she can't seem to want to stay away when he offers to let her stay in his luxurious cabin vs. her rodent infested one. For six weeks they spend pretty much every moment together, until it comes to a heartbreaking end. With no way to contact one another once they leave their bubble of bliss they completely lose touch. Thankfully fate has another idea in mind. When Lainey takes a job in Chicago she runs into RJ again, she just didn't realize he was a hockey player named Rook.

Can they both forgive and forget their past mistakes? Only time, healing, and a lot of trust will bring them back to where they were in Alaska, but the big question is, do they both want the same thing now that so much time has passed.

This new series is going to rock your world and give you all the feels...I'm serious....ALL THE FEELS!!! The direction that Helena is taking everything is absolutely amazing. Lainey and RJ are incredible together and rank pretty high up in standings to my favorite hockey couple. I can hardly wait for more stories to arrive in this new series!! The ride is going to be fantastic!!

A new hockey romance from Helena Hunting? Yes, please! I didn't even need to read the blurb to know I wanted to give it a read.

I loved how A Lie for a Lie started out in the present day. It brought me right back into the hockey world that Pucked started off. (Yes, you read that right. All In is a spin-off of the Pucked series.) There were cameos and a bunch of fun stuff.

With the next chapter, I was taken back in time to the start of Lainey and RJ's romance. This was actually my favorite part of the whole book. It was set in Alaska and had some really great funny stuff. I loved all of Lainey and RJ's interactions. Lainey was so awkward and RJ's steadiness balanced that out. It was just so cute and fun.

That fun had to end and the characters had to return to their day-to-day realities. Things switch back to the present and this is where things got interesting for me. I could see where the story was headed and I couldn't decide whether I liked that or not. There were some great things about it. RJ showed what he was made of and I ended up liking his character even more than I did before -- which I loved him so that says a lot. Lainey, though... I'm not sure I liked the slight change in her character. What was once almost humorous about her awkwardness almost became just plain weird. I felt like she lost some of her cuteness.

That being said, I still loved the dynamics between Lainey and RJ. I liked how their relationship evolved. There were some great surprises and laughs in store. I also loved her parents. They couldn't have been better written. Same with RJ's sister. Plus, all the regulars from the Pucked series had some fun cameos.

A Lie for a Lie was a cute read and a fun way to start this new hockey series. I'm really interested in finding out what's next in the series. I think it's going to be a crazy ride like the Pucked series.

Rook (RJ) is a Chicago hockey player heading to Alaska for vacation to escape the puck bunnies and media attention. He is the handsome team captain and has a history of being a ladies' man, but that has become old.

So when he meets Lainey, a sweet girl heading to Alaska to work on her latest master's degree, he is not forthcoming with who he is. She does not recognize him and treats him like a man versus a celebrity. She is sheltered and awkward, but also funny and naturally beautiful. And he finds himself feeling protective and wanting to help her.

But soon their chemistry begins to overtake them. It's a hot vacation fling with a potential for more, but his lie, circumstances, and some missed connections make them lose touch.

But what happens when their paths cross again?

This is a story of two opposites finding a connection, but then suffering broken hearts. RJ has a lot of explaining to do and will have to pull out all the stops to woo and win her back. And Lainey was already fearful, but now she has more reasons to be guarded.

Can he prove to her that he really is the man she was falling for in Alaska?

I really liked both of the main characters and could understand their reasoning. The lies and ommissions just kind of spun out of control. I thought RJ was sweet and swoony, and I loved his determination. And I liked that Lainey was coming into her own and finding her own inner strength. It's a fast-paced rom-com with a lot of heart and themes of forgiveness, fate, and second chances.

Their friends and family brought humor, support, and drama to the story. Fans of the Pucked series will enjoy some cameos, but it can be read as a stand-alone. This is a complete story for this couple, but leaves it open for new stories with more teammates or friends. I really liked RJ's sister, Stevie and Lainey's friend, Eden so maybe they will be back.

*5 Stars*

ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.

I fell right into this book immediately. I shouldn't be surprised, because that always seems to be the case with Helena Hunting books for me. This is a bit of a spin-off from the Pucked series, so I'd like to point that out from the start. I haven't actually finished the Pucked books myself, so this was a glimpse into the future for some of the characters I haven't met yet properly. I really want to go back and finish that series when I get time, even more now. I love the hockey world Helena has created, and A Lie for a Lie lends into that really well.

I liked the way that RJ and Lainey met, and struck up their initial relationship, I guess you could call it. I totally understand RJ's reasons for some things as well. He really is genuinely sweet guy, and Lainey was a bunch of fun. Whilst she is quite a nervous person, she's really smart, and when she lets her guard down and gets to know RJ its amazing.

Fast forward to the year later after their initial time together, and we really get thrown into a whirlwind of a situation. I kind of expected was going to happen, but it was only an initial thought that got swept to the back of my mind.

I could completely understand Lainey's lack of trust and her wariness about getting to know RJ again and involve him in her life. He sure pulls out all the stops and really uses his true personality to start getting back into her goods books, and getting to know her.

There were secondary characters I loved (see our hockey friends and Eden), and others that I really wasn't too fond of (see Lainey's family), so we have a nice mix of personality types thrown in as well.

This story was so much fun to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I won't say much more than that, because it's fun to go in blind like I did, and enjoy these characters for who they are. I can't wait for more from this series, and to see where Helena takes us next!

This was so good!! The almost month they had together in the beginning was filled with chemistry! Then when they met again!! Another well written story with added depth! Loved it!

Helena Hunting continuously amazes me with her novels and A Life for a Lie is another winner to add to the stack! If you have missed a Hunting novel you are truly missing out because her books are absolutely amazing! I don't think I ever gave her novels less than 4 stars- that's how good they are! That being said, I cannot wait to see how the rest of this series pans out. I know I am in for a treat with it!

I can always count on some laughs when I pick up a Helena Hunting book and A Lie for a Lie didn't disappoint. Part second chance romance, part secret baby and hockey romances, this book is an easy read filled with the sizzling chemistry between the two leads and quite a few giggles.

A Lie for a Lie is the book you want with you on vacation. The pace is quick and steady, the characters super fun and easy to connect with, and beautiful settings like Kodiak, Alaska. I quickly fell for Lainey and Rook (RJ), especially Rook, who is super sweet-a total gamma male. In many ways, this is a coming of age story for Lainey who's an introvert and the overprotected youngest child of 9. When life changes for her suddenly, she shows amazing strength.

The book is very character driven, the biggest conflict the year long separation between Lainey and RJ. Lainey holds on a little too long to a lie RJ told-which felt a bit over the top, but considering who Lainey is, I can understand her struggle. I enjoyed reading about the journey that RJ took to move on from his sordid, playboy past and how Lainey comes into her own.

I haven't read a lot of Hunting's hockey books, but I recognized Violet and Alex from Pucked. I'm sure there are plenty of other characters that will be familiar to readers.

What are the chances that two strangers meet on a flight and end up going to the same remote wilderness in Alaska? That’s what happened to Lainey and RJ.
Sheltered Lainey takes the opportunity to travel to Kodiak, Alaska to get away from her overbearing family (that she loves to death), and to prove her independence. Never in a million years did she think she’d find the love of her life.
RJ looks forward to the weeks he spends at his family’s cabin each year, it’s the one time he can completely unplug from life and just be himself. Being a professional hockey player comes with a lot of perks, but it also comes with a lot stress, he’s never sure if woman want him for him or for his fame. So, when he comes across Lainey and she has no idea who he is, RJ capitalizes on this and has the best six weeks of his life.
RJ and Lainey spend six weeks in a bubble of just themselves. Unfortunately, RJ leaves unexpectedly and neither knows how to contact the other. They each spend a year pinning away for the other and thinking that their time together meant more to them than the other person. Fast forward one year and RJ and Lainey run into each other and Lainey learns that this RJ isn’t the man she started falling in love with. RJ learns that the past year hasn’t been easy for Lainey and she wants nothing to do with him, but he’s determined to win her back.
I absolutely adored this book. It was everything I needed and needed it to be. There was no excess angst, there were no long drawn out plots, there were no jealous females coming in between them. It was honestly RJ and Lainey getting past their mistakes, getting back to who they were for those six weeks the year before and them moving forward and learning to navigate their current situation. The situations weren’t understated or over the top, they were just right.
Pleasant, easy, enjoyable read. Add to your Fall TBR list.

Helena Hunting has done it again. She delivers a book that hits you right in the feels.

Rook isn’t just your normal guy, he’s the captain for an NHL team and he is one of the best players in the league. The press and the pressure are a lot, and everybody deserves a break, so he heads up to Alaska for some peace and quiet during the offseason. When a gorgeous woman, quite literally, falls into his lap and has no idea who he is, he is immediately drawn to her.

Lainey is headed to Alaska for research, she never meant to fall into the handsome guys lap on the plane, and then find out he is staying just down the road from her. A few weeks in Alaska is just what they both needed, but when an emergency takes Rook away they both realize they never exchanged contact information. Fast forward a year later and they run into each other again, both have secrets that they must confess, but will those secrets bring them together? Or keep them apart for good?

I absolutely adored this book. To me this wasn’t a typical Helena book, but it was still one of her bests. Rook and Lainey aren’t your typical Helena characters, but they are equally as lovable. I also LOVED that we got to see the Pucked clan in this book, and they actually played a bigger role than I thought they would! This to me, was a feel good romance, and Rook is the type of guy we all want for ourselves, steadfast and loving he was just such a good guy. One of my favorite books of 2019 for sure!

Helena Hunting is one of my favorite authors and I couldn't wait to dive into this Pucked series spin-off. A Lie for a Lie is a combination of several different tropes, but at its heart, it's a very sweet second chance sports romance. It's a little less romcom than some of her other books, but there are still plenty of laughs as well as feels. While it's not necessary to read the Pucked series first, fans of that series will be delighted by all the cameos and appearances by some of Helena Hunting's most beloved characters.

Rook and Lainey were so cute together. They had a silly and awkward meet cute, but I loved that things developed pretty gradually between them. Yes, there is a bit of instalust and some forced proximity, but they also took the time to get to know the other. Together, they find a true connection as well as a sense of peace, comfort, and safety. They just get to be, without any judgments or expectations. I did have a little issue with their eventual separation (it is a second chance romance after all!) and the repercussions of their actions, but it's understandable given their abrupt ending and omission of a few key facts. I really appreciated that once Lainey and Rook reconnect however, he is all in and there wasn't a lot of unnecessary angst or drama. It's a true second chance for them. The ending and epilogue were the perfect way to bring everything between Lainey and Rook full circle and to also open the door to more in this world.

I was extremely lucky to enjoy both the audiobook and ebook versions of this story. The audiobook casting could not have been more perfect. Jason Clarke and Stella Bloom were amazing as Rook and Lainey! Jason Clarke's versatility and range were showcased so well and he voiced each character incredibly, regardless of age or gender. I had no problem distinguishing between characters and enjoyed his female voices just as much as the male. What really killed me though was when he voiced a certain little Scottish boy. *swoon* I could not contain the smile that took over my face. Stella Bloom was equally fantastic as anxious and awkward Lainey. Her comedic timing was wonderful, but she also delivered during the more emotional scenes as well.

Spin-off series can be a tricky balancing act. The author needs to establish a new world that can stand on its own, while also incorporating elements of a favorite world to bridge the stories together. A Lie for a Lie is a perfect example of a spin-off done right. I can't wait to see what's next in the series!

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5+ stars
Story 4 stars

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

4.5 Stars!

I absolutely love Helena's books and I think her hockey books are her best and this book did not disappoint. I was not sure what to expect going into this book besides it was a spin off of the Puck series. I am glad that I was pleasantly surprised with the storyline. Lainey and Rook story is a second chance romance with a twist. They meet in by chance on their way to Alaska for extended vacations and soon find that they are staying pretty close to each other. I loved how although they were opposites they were instantly drawn to each other. I loved how they had time to get to know each other with no one else in the equation. I loved how Lainey had been through a lot and she was navigating through life inspite of it all. I loved how Rook was so protective of her and goal was to make her feel safe.
The first half of the book was great but the second half was outstanding. Lainey and Rook grew and matured in their time apart. The story draws you in and takes you on an emotional journey. As a read I was consumed by the story, I swooned quite often, and there was some laughing of course. I loved the cameos of the Puck gang. Great story. Another must read by Helena!

How you doin' Rook?
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Well, y'all will be happy to know I have found another trope I love. Hockey romance. Yum.freakin.me
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I loved this one. Pretty much everything about it. It checked all the boxes for me.

Beautiful setting
Sports romance
Perfect steam
Likable characters.

I could go on and on.

This novel brought some issues that I appreciated and helped us see what a person looks like who is smart and sexy...but also completely relate able. Just genuinely good characters who are flawed.

I was also so excited to find out this is a new series. I am all here for it.

Simply put...I love Helena Hunting....I think she does no wrong....I would also read her version of the phone book.