4.5 rounded up - I really enjoyed this book. It was a really light and fun read despite some pretty heavy-duty topics. Mike was so wholesome and sweet. I loved the very real dive the author did into therapy and how to move on from traumas. I cheered for Aurora as she found her boundaries and her voice. The only thing was the whole premise of the fake Canadian boyfriend thing (the basis of the whole book, I know) almost felt like it wasn’t necessary and the stakes in that conflict were too low and undermined the rest of it. The whole thing could have been lifted and I think the book would have still been great and probably a straight five for me.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for providing me ARC, in exchange for a review.

As a Canadian, I was eager to read this book. I was curious to see what aspects would make a Canadian boyfriend different from an American one. Indeed, Canadians love their hockey, skating, and Tim Hortons coffee. I do have a chesterfield in my home, but I don't say 'eh.' I think you're more likely to hear 'eh' in less urban areas; it's definitely not a Toronto thing.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a cute romantic comedy, and I appreciated most of the storyline. However, there were a few oddities that didn't quite appeal to me. For instance, the male protagonist was always referred to by his first and last name. Initially, I thought this had a purpose, but as the story progressed, I expected it to change, yet it didn’t.

His reaction to the 'big' secret also seemed a bit over the top to me.

Tim Hortons is certainly a staple here in Canada, but that's a whole other story.

Despite these peculiarities, I do recommend this book.. I would rate this book 3.75 out of 5.

I always enjoy a Jenny Holiday story, and this one did not disappoint! Mike and Aurora (Rory)'s relationship was slow to develop due to both characters having emotional journey's to overcome. This book has deep, wonderful emotion with lots of good conflict to keep me reading. Mike is pro hockey player and Aurora is a dance instructor who teaches Mike's daughter, Olivia. Rory moves in with Mike and Olivia to help take care of Olivia while Mike is away. The writing was top notch. As I said before, this book was deep and emotional giving me all the feels. I highly recommend this one! Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

Really enjoyed this one. I thought both characters had growth throughout the story. I enjoyed all aspects of the plot. I think the ending was summed up perfectly.

This book was funny and playful (especially living around 15-20 minutes from three different Canadian borders my entire life and working at one of those borders for 7 years)

AND BOY OH BOY DID IT ALSO HAVE DEPTH (which 10000% distinguished from just your run of the mill hockey romance! )

✨Single Widower Dad
✨Traveling Single Parent
✨Celebrity Athlete
✨Anxiety/Panic Attack Rep
✨Narcissistic Mother
✨ED and Recovery Rep
✨Adoption/Custody Battle

4.75⭐️

⭐️THIS BOOK IS SET TO RELEASE JANUARY 30TH⭐️

Special thanks to @readforeverpub for the #gifted copy❤️

#canadianboyfriend #jennyholiday #readforeverpub #foreverpublishing #foreverpub

I really enjoyed this book 👏🏻💕 the description & the cover caught my eye & the rest of it hooked me!

The way this was so much more than a romance book was something I absolutely loved ❤️ I am a huge romance fan, but when other themes & realities shine through I love it even more 🫶🏻

Aurora & Mike were a team I cheered for from the beginning. They were there for one another as friends, helping each other through their everyday struggles. I loved how the portrayal of realities people face when they go through the challenges Aurora, Mike, & Olivia did was authentic. The feelings, the attitudes, the discussions. It all felt real.

I’ve read some of @holymolyjennyholi books before & I haven’t been disappointed 🥰 I’m a big fan! And can’t wait to see what else she writes!

What to love:
✨dual POV
✨sports romance
✨forced proximity
✨dancer FMC
✨hockey player MMC
✨single dad romance
✨open door romance
✨slow burn
✨friends to lovers
✨rep (grief, panic attacks, anxiety, eating disorder) check TW
✨lots of emotions!

Definitely check this one out when it hits shelves January 30!!! Thank you @readforeverpub @netgalley for the early copy 💕💕💕

I read this book in 48 hours and really enjoyed it. I honestly enjoyed it more than I expected to because it felt very different from all the other “hockey” books I’ve read over the last couple of years. For one thing, the style of the book and the characters just felt very authentic, believable, and more complicated than a lot of romance characters in this genre. I really liked both main characters, how we got to see both of their points of view, and I really liked how Mike was vulnerable without being too-good-to-be-true.

Without getting too spoilery, I will say I did agree with what some other readers have said about the treatment of the eventual revelation of the high school fake-boyfriend letters (this is not a “fake boyfriend” trope book at all). My main critique if I have one, however, is that since this was such a well-developed romance that really (believably) developed over time with great romantic tension, I would have liked a little more time spent on and detail of their eventual physical connections when they finally happened. Having said that, I’m so happy to finally read a romance novel where the author/characters realize you can have a very satisfying sexual encounter that is not just “sex”
if you don’t have condoms (ie, there are other things you can do). I also appreciated that they did use condoms every time they did have sex instead of just saying “I’ve been tested,” which is what I have been seeing in so many books recently, and it’s both on the unrealistic side and also somehow falsely makes it seem like you can’t have satisfying sex if you’re using a condom.

This was my first Jenny Holiday book but now I’m going to go read a bunch of her other books.

Genre: contemporary romance
Minnesota, present day

Rory invents a fake boyfriend in high school because she's lonely - he's modeled on some guy named Mike Martin who she met at the mall when his hockey team was visiting Minnesota. Flash forward thirteen years later, Rory is a dance teacher still recovering from quitting semi professional ballet...and there's a girl in one of her classes who is the daughter of widower Mike Martin who happens to play hockey. Is it the same Mike? He asks her to be his not-nanny in exchange for a place to stay and health insurance. While they try to maintain boundaries, they are no good at it, and it’s clear they have a strong connection and level of comfort.

I was a little nervous because the prologue starts with Rory meeting Mike and clearly inventing him into her boyfriend prior to meeting someone we all know must be the same guy. And yet, because both Rory and Mike are seeing therapists throughout the book, we get a lot of character growth, and characters learning how to communicate with one another and recognize the things from their past that can impact their relationships with others and with themselves. There’s some great boundary setting, especially as Rory begins to recognize the depth of the damage her mother has done to her. For Mike, it’s especially interesting to see the milestones of grief that he crosses.

There is more ballet than hockey in this book, and that’s in part because Mike compartmentalizes his hockey career - he hates being even somewhat famous. He isn’t a star, but he’s a “reliable stay-at-home defenseman” which makes him a valuable player in his own right (and that all hockey fans recognize is an important role). Hockey brings him joy, but he wants the people in his life to see him as more than a hockey player, so he lets so few people into his hockey life. The dance classes that Rory teaches and her life as a dancer are more on page because her connection to Mike comes from his daughter Olivia as a student in Rory’s dance classes, but also because Rory’s need for growth comes out of her struggles as a dancer.

There’s a lot of lovely insight in this one. It’s largely closed door, which was really fine for the characters, and I’m impressed that Holiday kept the tone as light as she did. Because ultimately, this is a fun one, with a little bit of bonkers and a healthy dose of the messy human emotions. This is a cute romance that deals with themes of recovery from eating disorders and body issues from dance and also grief over the death of a spouse.

3.5 stars,

Rory and Mike were both great MC’s.

Don’t be fooled by the cover like I was - I saw that cover and expected a lighter read; a fun romance - spoiler alert - this is not a lighter read.

Despite the triggers of (off page fatal car accident - past tense, loss of wife/mother, recovering eating disorder) Canadian Boyfriend, this is a lovely story. I can’t really think of what else I can write about it without spoilers, so I’ll just add that I love how normalized taking care of your mental care is and I definitely recommend this, given that you can can deal with those triggers.



Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the DRC

Oh, my heart. This book was so much more than I expected. I’ll admit, I knew very little about it going in and was drawn in by the title, but the light, funny story I was expecting was actually incredibly emotional and heartfelt. Holiday did a fantastic job of balancing heavy topics with humour, lightness, and moments of joy. I laughed and cried, and related to both Aurora and Mike, as well as Mike’s daughter Olivia.

One of the things I appreciated most about this book was all the representation and how, even though the story dealt with heavy topics (such as grief, therapy, anxiety and panic attacks, isolation, complicated parent/child relationships, disordered eating, creating boundaries, and more), it never felt HEAVY or got bogged down in the difficult parts. I appreciated how everything was dealt with, and I especially appreciated the therapy rep and how it was so natural for the characters to talk about therapy and different coping mechanisms. I think a lot of people will relate to many of the challenges Mike and Aurora faced. I also loved how the characters learned to find joy and let light into their lives. It was really beautiful to watch them grow, both separately and together. And, of course, as a Canadian, I appreciated all the Canadianisms!

On a purely emotional level, this book would be a five-star read for me. But looking past what my heart says, there were a few small things that kept me from completely, unreservedly loving this book. I didn’t like the conflict of Rory not telling Mike about him being her fake Canadian boyfriend as a teen. It became such a big thing and it didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me? I knew that would be the ultimate conflict and it just seemed blown out of proportion when the conflict of Mike being afraid to let Rory fully into his and Olivia’s lives would have been enough. It also drove me nuts how Rory ALWAYS referred to Mike as Mike Martin. It was cute the first couple of times, but it was every time through the entire book. And finally, since Olivia was such a big part of the story, I was disappointed how she kind of dropped off at the end and we didn’t hear any more about her. How did she react to her dad and Rory getting together? Did she suspect they had feelings for each other? I kept expecting a conversation between her and Rory or her and Mike where she told them it was obvious they liked each other or something like that. Did they discuss her at all when deciding to get together? Liv didn’t seem to factor into their decision, even though she would have been a huge factor and she played a pivotal role through the rest of the book and was Mike’s initial reason for not wanting to date Rory.

That being said...Canadian Boyfriend was complex, well-written, and charming, and it left me with a huge smile on my face.

This was both super sweet and sad at the same time. I love that therapy was so seamlessly integrated into the storyline as a healthy part of emotional growth. I loved the realistic relationships between Rory and her mother, Mike and Olivia, and Rory and Mike. It was so relatable that I found myself devouring the book and reading it fairly quickly. It puts attention on hard topics such as loss, anxiety, and bad relationships with food but also has some lightness to it as the characters support each and ultimately fall in love. Will definitely be reading from this author in the future.

3.5 stars

Aurora is a teenage barista at Starbucks when she meets a hockey player to steals her heart: Mike. Their brief encounter really resonates with her, to the point that she's telling people that he's her Canadian boyfriend in order to get out of social engagements. Feeling trapped in a life of ballet she doesn't want, she pours her heart out in letters written to her fictional boyfriend Mike. Fast forward a decade, and Mike walks back into her life. He's a grieving widower, trying to navigate life with his daughter, who sees Aurora, her dance instructor, as one of the few people who can bring her joy. So Mike invites Aurora into their lives, and what follows is a lesson-filled journey of self-exploration, healing, and love. But Aurora's secret letters to the fictional Mike of long ago threaten to destroy everything they've built. What's true, what's a lie, and can they face it all together?

Much of this story was BEAUTIFUL. It was chock-full of highlightable lines about grief, loss, acceptance, and growth. The chemistry between Mike and Aurora was fantastic. I was thrilled to see these two people find love and happiness after each of them had had their share of struggles.

This book was much darker and deeper than I expected, based on the title, cover, and summary. The entire angle on which this book seems to hinge, the fact that she met him before and wrote letters addressed to "him" without telling him, didn't really work, in my opinion. It just didn't seem like it would actually matter. The way these characters spoke and thought seemed much younger than they actually were. It almost read like a YA book, despite the fact that the main characters were in their 30s. The love scenes were too open door for people who'd prefer a clean romance, but not nearly satisfying enough for readers who enjoy spice in their romance. (The way in which the scenes were described sort of baffled me.)

Bottom Line: If you like reading about (mostly) likable characters who stumble but ultimately do a lot of soul-searching and achieve satisfying levels of growth, you'll really enjoy this story!

Trigger warnings: strained mother/daughter relationship, eating disorders, death of a spouse (off page), fatal car accident (off page)

I'd like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Don’t let the illustrated cover fool you — this story packs quite the emotional punch. The mental health rep is some of the best I’ve ever read. It was so refreshing and really the star of the book.

I loved Aurora and Mike together. The way their relationship grew organically was tender and realistic. The way they helped each other to heal was so beautifully done. I also loved Olivia. Kids in books can be hit or miss for me and she was great. Her relationship with Aurora absolutely warmed my heart.

What I’m having trouble with is the third act breakup and rushed ending. Mike completely overreacted, which everyone points out to him, but in my opinion, it shouldn’t have gotten to that point to begin with. Mike’s big thing is that he doesn’t like lying, but where’s the lie? It was just a weak plot device that was then quickly resolved and the book is over. I wanted more romance that wasn’t casual as it had been for most of the story. And if I’m being really honest, I’m disappointed that Aurora wasn’t knocked up by the end of this story. 😂😂 I want Mike to have his brood!! I also really wish that at least by the epilogue Aurora had stopped calling Mike — Mike Martin. She did not.

I was happy to see that Gretchen is getting her own story! I loved her in this book and maybe by her story Mike and Aurora will be popping out babies. I really did enjoy Holliday’s writing and look forward to reading more of her books!

Romance: fade to black and brief open door

Thank you to Forever for the advanced copy. My thoughts are my own.

eARC received for review from NetGalley

3.5/5 ⭐️

I enjoyed the fact that Canadian Boyfriend was a quick and easy read but I do have to say that I was disappointed overall. Before I say more I do want to say that this was a well written book and being the second work I have read from Jenny Holiday I feel comfortable enough to say that, as an author, she is good at what she does.

What it comes down to is really that I did not feel like Aurora’s confession was that big of a deal. I wanted more backstory… maybe a few chapters where Young Aurora interacted with other youth so I could see how much impact on her life he had. I think if I had treated this like a lot of books I read and had just not read the synopsis, I would not have known how much Fake Boyfriend Mike meant to Young Aurora.

It is also my personal preference that the resolution does not happen in the last chapter because I do not like when epilogues feel thrown together like I am just being told “and they lived happily ever after”.

Thank you to Jenny Holiday, Forever, and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

Although the blurb of this book clearly spells out what it’s about, I still found it to be unexpected. Maybe because the blurb often doesn’t match the book, in my experience. Maybe because the cutesy cover gives the idea this is going to be more of a comedy of errors rather than an emotional dive into the lives of these characters. Regardless, I got more than I expected and that’s a good thing.

While the subjects of a parent/spouse dying unexpectedly and being raised by a mother who demanded perfection in ways that have left deep scars are grave, there is still a lot of joy in this story. As Rory and Mike (and Mike’s daughter Olivia) find a rhythm to their new arrangement, they also start piecing their lives back together. Rory’s path has been long and hard-fought, but being around Mike and Olivia and their total acceptance of her helps her along that last lap. For Mike and Olivia, things are more fresh. Yet they both have to find a way to live again.

I appreciate that the author had this story span a year (other than the prologue and epilogue) due to the nature of Mike’s grief. I wouldn’t necessarily call this a slow burn because there isn’t a lot of heat this is going unanswered. Instead, there is a slow build for Rory and Mike and it’s lovely to see it slowly unfold. They have a beautiful relationship from the start; an intrinsic understanding of each other that nobody else has. Although Rory has a “big secret”, it doesn’t ever seem high stakes. It’s nothing cruel or even deceptive.

As well as the exquisite relationship that is built between Mike and Rory, there is a lot of other content in this story that is incorporated without being overbearing. Like Mike realizing the emotional labor his deceased wife took on in their relationship, the intricacies of disordered eating, and the heavy lifting that therapy can do to give us the tools we need to bolster ourselves when times get tough.

This is a new-to-me author and I was impressed. I’ll definitely be seeking out more of her work.

This was my first book by Jenny Holiday, and I really enjoyed it! I always love a good hockey romance! This was a sweet and cute book. Both Rory and Mike help each other overcome their personal struggles. This book was a major slow burn and had a third act breakup, so not my favorite. I loved how Rory helped Liv come out of her shell and just loved their relationship in general. Overall, I still enjoyed this book and loved the character development throughout the book. I personally didn’t like how Mike reacted at the end, but he made up for it in the epilogue.
Thank you to netgalley and forever publishing for letting me read this book early!!

Thank you netgalley and Forever for the opportunity to read this book.
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I honestly requested this book solely on the title and the author. I’ve enjoyed Jenny Holiday’s Christmas reads in the past.
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I think you’ll enjoy Canadian Boyfriend if you enjoy:
🩰sports romance
🏒single dad
🩰friendship to lovers
🏒slow burn
🩰anxiety rep
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This book has some heavy these so check trigger warnings before reading.
I do think the author handled the heavy themes in a positive way. I didn’t love the conflict or how the book wrapped up. But overall enjoyed the book.

4/5 stars

Did I pick up this book purely based on the title? Absolutely. Was I extremely pleased with the results? Heck yes!

This book perfectly balances humour, romance, and heavy topics with great writing and a plot that constantly moves forward. I didn't find this book lagged at all, and I loved watching all of the characters on their individual journeys. The secondary cast of characters was also great, I absolutely adored Olivia and her relationship with Rory.

There were a few small things that kept this from being a 5 star read for me, but I really do recommend this book and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it!

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I went into this book slightly blind based off the title and cover. I’m glad I did! What a fun read this was! What if someone dreamt up a fake boyfriend and then YEARS later, met said fake boyfriend and actually fell in love? This book had so many tropes that I enjoy: close proximity, slow lovers, fell for the nanny, and I’m kind of into hockey reads now. The reader also gets some heavy topics: loss of a spouse/parents, mentally abusive parent, grief, and eating disorders. The author wrote about this topics in a respectable, but light hearted manner without making any jokes about the seriousness of the topics. The writing was smooth and I devoured this book in a matter of two days. Sometimes I hate the ending of romance books. The author tied this ending up beautifully and didn’t leave the reader hanging. I actually had to look at my Goodreads profile in shock that I have not read more of Jenny Holiday’s book. This will be changing immediately! This would make for a great February read!

Rating: 4.5/5
Warnings: abusive parent, eating disorder, panic disorder, grief, death of a parent/spouse
Steam: 3/5

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for access to this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Dear Aurora Lake and Mike Martin, I’m so glad you finally got your happy.

This book was such an amazing slow burn friends to lovers romance but really does lean into women’s fiction. This wasn’t a “quick and light” romance but a really beautiful story that feels hopeful.

I loved Aurora’s journey to self acceptance, navigating setting boundaries with her abusive mother and overcoming an ED. The author tackles these narratives with care.

There was so much amazing representation of therapy, grief, healing, found families and finding our sense of self.

Here’s my only negative take away: I don’t love how the conflict happens. Literally how it was written. I feel like it’s a wild conflict, but suits the story however it was written so abruptly and it felt like it was missing some lines. Did she lie? Yes but I think there was so much more nuance than that. Much like Mike’s therapist pointed out to him.

Anyways, very much suggest!!