This book was really cute! I'm generally not the biggest fan of contemporary romance novels. But being a Canadian - I needed to read it! I really enjoyed the banter and dynamics between the characters. And I really liked Aurora (Rory), I thought her character was developed well and I enjoyed learning about her history with ED's and toxic parents. This is something I struggle with, and it was a good perspective. They dynamic between hockey and ballet was really good too. I liked the dichotomy between the two sports and how that played into the personalities of the characters. I found Mike's character a little flat - but loved his daughter.

This is my favorite Jenny a holiday book so far. It was a quick read but had some depth to it. Fun to see the character growth. It was emotional and realistic. Would be great for discussions.

The title sounds like the set-up for a cheesy joke right? "Oh I totally have a boyfriend, but he lives in Canada." However, 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 (Pub 01.30) is far from cheesy. It is a lovely contemporary romance with heft. Thank you to Forever Grand Central Publication and Netgalley for the early copy.

𝗪𝐇𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝗪𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐄:
- Set in MN. Love love love.
- Aurora spent her childhood on her way to being a prima ballerina. Now she teaches at a dance studio in a strip mall.
- Mike is a pro hockey player and a recent widower with a young daughter, Olivia who takes dance lessons with Aurora.
- Each of them are working towards reclaiming joy- alone and together.
- A bit of forced proximity.
- Made me laugh and made me swoon.
- Normalizing growth through therapy (grief, anxiety, eating)
- Epistolary elements (journaling, texts, and letters)
- Sexy but not overly steamy.

But it's so much more than a love story, their healing journey truly brought out the best in each other and the way they supported each other was positively endearing. The ending was so delightfully cinema-ready and I loved it!

One caveat- Both Rory and Mike's internal dialogue would refer to the other by their first and last name. It's cute, but 'Mike Martin' shows up 272 times. Yes- I searched for the number. It was fine in print but would have grated on audio.

NOTE: References to disordered eating and death of a spouse that happened in events before the start of this book.

4 1/2 stars

I don't want to say this is an "adorable" or "whimsical" or "cute" love story because I feel like that'd be doing the story a disservice. This is a heavy-duty, hard work love story.

Both Mike and Rory have A LOT of baggage to unpack from their previous relationships and lives before they officially meet (again) as adults. However, they both do the hard work and start to turn themselves into the people they want to be and into people who have processed their trauma. This book really made me feel like I myself was in therapy and I highlighted so many passages that were helpful to my personal life at the moment.

I'm not normally one to tear up in a book, but this one gave me lump in my throat for sure. I can say this is a full-circle, beautiful, well-deserved love story. I'm a little sad that Jenny said that this is going to be her only sports romance, because she's good at it. I honestly can't wait to read Gretchen's book next.

"It's funny how sometimes things that seem like they're bad at the time end up making the best memories."

"I guess the thing is to remember that while it might be true that you weren't good enough, it's not a moral statement."

"When you're having doubts...about behaviors or desires...it can be useful to ask what the source of those feelings is. Is it you, or is it an idea you have about how society, or people in your life, are going to react."

I docked it 1/2 a star for the below reasons.
1. I get the reasoning behind it, but I couldn't get over the fact that in her head, whenever talking about him to herself, Rory referred to Mike as "Mike Martin." The whole name thing really started to get to me by the end of the book. It makes sense and I figured it'd stop after they declared their love for each other, but it kept going the entire book.
2. I don't think the whole "lying about meeting him in passing once 13 years ago and pretended he was her boyfriend and wrote to her like he was her diary" is really THAT big of a deal. Like I get he had to over react about something. I get that with Mike specifically this is something that he would think is a big deal. This is something Rory would know he would think is a big deal. However, I (personally and as a reader) don't think it's a big deal, so it made the ending just a little on the sillier side for me. Also, did she even have to tell him? How is it he would even find out? Like that's how not a bit deal it is to me. I think it's not something she even needed to tell him, but, again, that's just me.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an Advanced e-copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book marries two of my favorite sports: hockey and dance. It definitely isn't a fluffy light romance. There are so many good things discussed in this novel: emotional labor in relationships, grief trauma, how having a body that dances means you have a dance body, etc.

I loved the banter and the dad/ daughter relationship.

I really enjoyed this book. It's been a while since I read a sports (hockey) romance and probably wouldn't have picked it up for the hockey aspect only. I was intrigued by the ballet dancer heroine and hockey player hero couple.

This is not an easy romance, but it is hopeful. The hero recently lost his wife and is suddenly a single dad - the grief, OMG the grief was so deep and heart-breaking, especially from the point of view of his daughter.

With Aurora (Rory), we have the panic attacks, the eating disorder, the toxic parent - everything that nearly killed her physically and emotionally.

Their relationship started as tentative human contact, going through friendship and helping each other through tough times. I really appreciate the slow development of feelings, both Mike and Aurora were dealing with serious trauma and trying to rebuild their lives. So much emotion that I found relatable.

I liked the secondary characters, Mike's daughter who is 11, the same age as my own daughter, was brilliantly done.

There was just enough hockey and ballet/dancing without it taking the focus away from a very character-driven story. It is an inner-conflict type of romance despite the fact that she was working for him as a kind of nanny and living in his house.

What stood out for me in this story was the slow pace, allowing both Mike and Aurora time to heal (with the help of a lot of counselling), to move on with their lives. Their intimacy happened slowly, naturally, without grand proclamations and promises for forever. They both knew they had a lot of work ahead to try to be together as a couple and raise Mike's daughter together.

Now, on the second chance element of the romance. This really was the weakest element in the story for me. Without giving away too many spoilers, I would say I understand why she did what she did in the past and I think he overreacted. No lies is a fundamental element for any relationship, made even more sensitive if you have been lied to before but the situation with Aurora was different. And he already had come to understand better the actions of his dead wife. He was really too harsh, unnecessarily so.

They did clear things between them, and it was tender and romantic and the epilogue was just perfect. It would have been a 5-star read if not for Mike's reaction/harsh words in that particular situation.

CW: eating disorder, panic attacks, grief, loss of a wife/mother in a car accident,

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book and its cast of characters. I think the aspects of grief and mental health were well done and it’s hard not to root for Aurora and Mike. I was not a big fan of the third act breakup scene as from what I could tell, Aurora never explicitly explains to Mike that those letters were from when they were very young and he freaks out as if she was only writing about him and thinking of him because of who he was which was not the case. Will definitely still be recommending this as a quick romance read as I still enjoyed it and I think other romance lovers will as well

I wanted to love this one more than I did. I mean hockey romance? Literally my whole entire TBR right now. The synopsis looked amazing! And I hate to say it but it just kinda fell flat for me.

First off, our MC's name? Oh, it's Mike Martin. And I promise you didn't have to look it up because it was said 78999992 times in this book. Just like that. Mike Martin. Who's that over there? Mike Martin. It was very odd for Aurora to keep calling this man his whole government name everywhere. In her head. Out loud. When described, he's always Mike Martin. I'm still unsure of the purpose of that, if there even was one.

Second, I just couldn't get into it. The eating disorder and grief representations were done with care and kindness, but it just didn't feel genuine. One second Mike Martin is so deep in grief he feels he can't breathe and the next boom! Engaged! It just felt entirely rushed with absolutely no chemistry between the characters. I mean they laugh during sex. Which trust me is fun and amazing with the right partner, but the way it was described I just picture her hyena laughing and him smiling away. And why everytime he smiles does the author right after go "click click click". I understand it's how his smile was first described but goodness I got it the first time!

This was my first Jenny Holiday book so this could just be her writing style and it's something I'm not used to. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It just wasn't for me.

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Grand Central, and Jenny Holiday. 🩷

This book was intense, to put it simply. Though I went in thinking it'd be a light romance, I ended up staring mental health and self-reflection in the face. As someone who's walked away from emotional abuse, body image issues, and grief from a loss of someone close, this whole book was a lot.

Let's start with the strongest part of the story - the positive therapy rep. Holy heck, the therapy rep was perfect. I loved that both MCs were so open about their therapy journeys, and that they told each other stuff they've learned in order to help one another grow. While some books feel preachy, the conversations about therapy and sharing therapy-isms was organic and both characters were receptive to changing and growing. As Mike kept saying, they were both coachable and I loved both his and Rory's growth through the story.

The romance was also organic and cute. I appreciated that the story takes place basically over two years (three, if you count the kind of epilogue), so you really saw them growing and falling in love over time. Yes, there was an instant zing, but beyond that this story was definitely a friends-to-lovers.

I also liked how we got some insight into Rory when she was younger through her letters to her Canadian Boyfriend. I also liked how those letters came into play through the book and within her real relationship to Mike. While I wish there hadn't been a third-act breakup, I think they both needed it for different reasons, and I loved that those reasons are clearly drawn out for us. It wasn't a miscommunication, it was growth, and it was a breath of fresh air.

There were a couple things that did bother me a bit - I wish that they had more time with their friends doing their individual growth. I wanted to see them have fuller lives (though that was also part of the whole healing process for them). That being said, hopefully we'll see more of them in Gretchen's book living their best lives. I also found some of the vocabulary jarring. This is my first book by Holiday so I don't know what her vocab quirks are, but this is the first time I've seen a number of words used in such quantity. It might be the uniqueness of the terms (logjam, woo-woo, schmaltzy), but their repetition stood out and gave the story character but was also mildly distracting. Weird thing to be hung up on, I know, but it's still there.

All in all, this book is definitely a new favourite of mine. Canadian Boyfriend was soft, sentimental, and full of healing. I learned a lot from this book, and while it was heavier than I expected, I ended up adoring every part of it.

TW: grief, emotional abuse, eating disorder, body shaming, panic attack/anxiety (not full blown, not fully on page), death, death of a parent, sexual content (not super descriptive), cursing, alcohol; mentions car accident, pregnancy, injury detail

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Forever in exchange for an honest review.

Hey I wonder what our MMCs names is?? Maybe Mike Martin, that was said 2084094 million times. Other than the characters using first and last names I didn't hate this. It was a cute single dad romcom with just a bit of spice. I didn't love the main conflict but I do love a rich hockey man so a lot was forgiven.

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars as I was more than willing to look past the flaws inherent in the miscommunication trope with the twist Jenny Holiday added to the third act.

Aurora invented a Canadian Boyfriend after a chance encounter at the Mall of America. Writing letters to Mike helped her cope with the pressure of ballet school in New York City. So imagine her surprise when someone who reminds her of Mike comes walking through the door of her dance class years later. Mike has recently lost his wife and is still struggling through his grief, but when he sees how much his daughter Olivia loves dance class with Miss Aurora, he latches onto that joy as a lifeline for the both of them. But what happens when Mike and Aurora begin developing feelings for each other?

This book was like cat nip. There were so many little moments that left me with an emotional high. Aurora standing up for herself. Mike working out what he wants. Aurora finding her way back to ballet. Mike rediscovering joy. And that's just scratching the surface. I don't want to give away too many specifics, so you'll just have to read. But this book packs a pro-growth, pro-therapy emotional healing arc for both characters and it is glorious.

The romance is so well done. I'm not a fan of the miscommunication trope, but the way it was woven together with their insecurities and linked to their growth compensated for it. I highly recommend this one.

3.5 stars rounded up!

This book was really cute. You meet this guy at a mall, think he’s super cute. Part ways and then tell everyone he is your Canadian Hockey Playing Boyfriend. Even if you have no one to tell you write him letters that you never send. And then one day, you realize he is your dance students dad. And things escalate from there.

This book is complicated, and swoony. It’s so raw and real. We deal with raw heavy emotions of having a wife/mother die and the emotional repercussions and grief on that. We have overbearing toxic mothers who destroy their child with years of eating disorders, anxiety/panic disorders and loathing.

Then we have Mike and Rory(Aurora) who end up creating an arrangement to look after said dance student and create a very heavy bond. With a few hookups that turn a bit messy.

Although I did feel the ending was slightly rushed (everything happened in the last 10%) I loved the flow of the book, and how you really get to watch these characters develop and grow. Therapy being a big stepping stone in their relationships. We love growth. Overall I would recommend this book. Although there’s not a ton of spice I would say this is for an older audience atleast 16+ and I do recommend people read it.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read this book in advanced in exchange for my honest opinion!

This book has my favorite troupes of sports/ hockey romance! I enjoyed the representation of grief, eating disorder and mental health. It was it slow and time and the pacing could have been better. Thank you for the NetGalley for the

Canadian boyfriend was a good book. It was a slwoburn hockey romance. The plot kept me interested the entire time. It was a little to long by about 50 pages. The ending was the cutest thing ever I rate the book a 3.8 stars and a spice rating of 1 out of 5 Chili's. Thank you Jenny holiday for allowing me to read this arc I appreciate you taking a chance on me.

I couldn’t put this book down! Dual POV. Friends-to-lovers-ish. It’s a sweet story and definitely more deep than I was expecting. Loved it.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher!

So much love for this book! I love romance books to be an escape from the world or as breaks between heavy fantasy novels, so I love a quick, cute read. However, sometimes romance novels can be so quick and lean in to the cute that they are a bit boring or repetitive. This book was NOT that. There was enough interesting sub plots, and the characters were so lovely and had great chemistry. I loved it the whole way through!

Jenny Holiday is one of my favorite authors, so I was thrilled to get approved for an ARC of Canadian Boyfriend. It’s a heavier read than I was expecting. The MMC, Mike, is a hockey player who’s a widower and single dad. His wife died in a car accident a year ago, and he and their 11-year-old daughter are still dealing with their grief. The FMC, Rory, is a dance instructor working on her recovery from an eating disorder. I was actually okay with the book not being as light as some of Holiday’s previous work. Where it fell apart for me was in the execution.

Canadian Boyfriend wasn’t bad, but since it’s by a favorite author, I think I held it to a higher standard. It just didn’t hit for me. It dragged in places, particularly with the romance plot, which seemed to take a backseat to everything else going on. This book felt less like a romance and more like a book about two people becoming friends, living together, and having sex sometimes while working through their issues. I wanted more lingering stares, more touches, more FEELINGS because that’s what I love in a romance novel. I felt like I only got a fraction of that here. We don’t even get a description of their first kiss because the scene ends abruptly as they lean in! A true “WTF” moment.

In addition to missing the chemistry and feelings I want in my romance, the book also doesn’t deliver on the premise of having a hockey player character. There really isn’t any hockey in it. I didn’t want or need a play-by-play of his games, but I would have enjoyed getting the same level of detail about his job that we get about the FMC’s job at a dance studio.

Also: what the heck is up with Rory constantly referring to Mike by his full name?! According to my Kindle, there are 281 instances of “Mike Martin” in this book. The repetition drove me out of my mind. It was weird that she never thought of him as just Mike. She even thinks of him as Mike Martin when they’re about to have sex for the first time.

Things I liked: the characters’ journeys in therapy; their backstories; Mike’s daughter, Olivia; and the Minnesota setting. I thought all of that was well done but didn’t make up for the issues I had. I wish I felt differently about this book, but unfortunately it was just okay for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Gosh, this one was so wonderful! I honestly can’t think of anything that I didn’t like about this one. One of the many things that I loved about this book was that the main characters were older. So they actually worked through their issues in an adult way. I really liked that there was an emphasis on mental health priorities. This really was such a great book!! I cannot wait for the follow up story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (Grand Central Publishing), and Jenny Holiday for being able to read this one! I’ve loved past books by Ms. Holiday and this one was no exception!!

It's safe to say that "Canadian Boyfriend" might just be my favorite work by Jenny Holiday thus far. I devoured this book within 2 nights, and it aptly straddled the line between Women's Fiction and Romance. With a distinct blend of Literary Fiction, Romantic Drama, and Contemporary Romance, it offers a narrative that doesn't shy away from both lighter moments and weightier themes, which were handled with a delicacy that didn't compromise its romantic essence (check below for content warnings).

What truly resonated with me was the book's ability to strike a harmonious balance between personal character growth and the journey of love. The main characters, Mike and Aurora (not to forget Olivia), were instantly relatable, their emotions and responses feeling incredibly genuine. I found myself genuinely rooting for both of them, and the dual point of view allowed us to witness their individual struggles and personal journeys, as well as their path together.

I appreciated the insight into their process of working through life's challenges, traumas, and other issues. While these were integral to the story, the book managed to maintain a light-hearted quality, effectively portraying real-life issues and healthy coping mechanisms.

The book weaves together several enjoyable tropes and elements, such as sports romance, single parenting, forced proximity, and some delightful epistolary elements like journaling, texts, and letters.

In conclusion, I thoroughly relished this read, which not only entertained but also prompted deep contemplation. It's the kind of book that begs for discussion in a group setting due to the emotional yet realistic portrayal of certain events. The narrative unfolded in a way that left me both moved and content with its conclusion.

Ballet plus hockey equals MY FAVORITE. Mike and Aurora are adorable, I love their banter and the way they communicate. The mental rep is amazing and so well written!